The Siren's Song
by TheForgottenMCRmy
Summary: The incident in Breaking Dawn leaves Aro angered and unsettled. As Aro contemplates his next move to ensure that the Volturi keep their position of power, he is mesmerized with the possibility of hybrids. Struck with an amazing idea, Aro goes searching for the perfect human to help him achieve his revenge. The plan is set- as long as feelings of love aren't a distraction. (Aro/OC)
1. Midnight Meeting

**This is my first twilight fic... so, go easy on me please, okay?**

**This is written because, well... I feel like the Volturi wouldn't let the incident in Breaking Dawn slide so easily. Plus, the are _really _good villains. :)**

**Feedback is welcome! :)**

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_**Chapter 1**_

_**Aro's POV**_

The night was cold. The wind bit with every gust or even the gentlest breeze. The stars were veiled, thanks to the presence of wispy clouds, from which trifling snowflakes fell. As the snowflakes made their descent upon the earth, I ambled along the streets of Tuscany below.

Normally, Marcus, Caius, and I would have our meals brought to us. But lately, it seems, I've wanted to do the task myself. I need a new environment other than my beloved home, occasionally. I need time to _think_. Thinking is something I've been doing a lot lately, ever since that humiliating encounter with the Cullens.

Humiliating on the Volturi's part, at least. And all because of that little girl- Renesmee. She was truly such a unique marvel. I never thought the possibility of hybrids possible, until I saw her.

Now, I've become obsessed with the once forbidden idea.

To think, that these half-human, half-immortal children could so easily blend in with the humans was incredible. The power they could add- both by _gifts_, like little Renesmee possessed, and the capability to intermingle with humans was both alluring and inviting. The possibilities for expansion of my coven could be endless, if I so much as possessed one myself.

Sadly, these hybrids were _much_ harder to come by than I'd hoped.

The Volturi would have to make a comeback, and soon. If not, our already wounded integrity would be diminished. Our stronghold of power would soon be challenged.

But this would not happen under my watch. _I _will _find a way to get my revenge, _I told myself sternly.

"Humans and their holidays," I muttered apathetically under my breath, noting the silly stringed lights along roofs of buildings, the decorated trees, and the smell of burning fire in the air. _Festivities were much more prestigious in my own time of mortality._

Alas, the humans took great joy in celebrating Christmas. I honestly found the whole fiasco quite pathetic. Salvation was but a dream. The fate of a mortal's soul was to be damned or to become damned. I, like my brothers, found my purpose long ago, and to it, to this day, I still hold.

Feeding during this time of year proves to be more challenging as the years pass. Humans usually take time away from their menial tasks to spend time with each other... in their homes. Not that this physically would stop any of my kin from obtaining what we so desire, but the threat of exposure always looms on the horizon.

Not many humans roamed the streets on this day of December 24th. Most of them were already asleep. But I was seeking the select few who were still active despite the lateness of the hour.

As I was contemplating moving to a region further north, where alcohol would be abundant and in turn foolish humans would run amok with their guards down, something of interest floated through the air and to my alert ears. _A choir singing. Hm._

I cannot deny that throughout my thousands of years of existence, I have taken joy in appreciating the arts and sciences. By the sound of it, the choir could use some pointers, but, for the most part, were in tune and capable of hitting notes respectively. I smiled, half-genuinely.

As if on cue, I suddenly noticed where my tracking had taken me. I was in _Piazza della Vittoria,_ a square near the town centre of _Livorno_, a city in the region of Tuscany, Italy. Across the square stood the _Church of Santa Maria del Soccorso. _The vocal music was coming from the inside.

"Figures," I muttered. "A lot of humans are too eager to sing during this time of year." I turned to leave-

-But was stopped. Amidst the multiple singing voices, a lone voice caught my attention. I soon found myself wanting- no, _needing-_ to hear more, as if by some spell. My head naturally tilted slightly, in an attempt to hear more.

My feet seemed to move so swiftly towards the Church that I was hardly aware of it. As if on command, I approached the front steps quietly. I glanced upwards towards the steeple, and noted that the time was about a quarter to midnight. I quietly ascended the stairs and opened one of the large stone doors that I'm sure were symbolically responsible for keeping my _kind_ from entering.

Putting aside the jokes, I hummed in satisfaction as I stepped inside, as the soothing voice once again filled my ears, stronger than ever. The stone door closed behind me with a light thud as I walked through the formal narthex, which was decorated with various elaborate paintings and sculptures.

Once I had entered the actual 'preaching room' if you will, I saw a choir standing at the back of the church, quite some distance from me, near the alter, It was dark, save for a single light shining upon the choir, and faint starlight illuminating the stain-glass windows. Once I was sure that my entrance was unnoticed, I keened in on the voice again, and smiled as I concluded that I was in the right place. The voice, along with the choir's as well, echoed off the decorated walls and empty wooden pews. However, the voice did not belong to a member of the choir, of that I was sure. It seemed to be coming… from above?

I craned my neck upwards, and saw a balcony. I turned my head directly to the right, and saw a staircase, presumably leading up to the upper level. I walked over to the stairs calmly, not wishing to make a scene, and ascended them as quietly as I could, which, truthfully, was not a very difficult task.

More smaller wooden pews awaited me once I reached the balcony's level. Surprisingly, I couldn't see anyone. In a quick moment of dismay, I realized that I could no longer hear the sweet voice that had called to me. _Pity. A voice that lovely would have a wonderful neck posture to accommodate it…_

Out of curiosity, I walked over to the railing, and observed the choir from the newly discovered height. Quite an intriguing sight, I should say.

"Did you come to hear them sing, too?"

Shocking myself, I jumped slightly at the soft, feminine, and English-speaking voice coming from behind me. "I suppose so," I answered carefully in English as well, not turning to face the source just yet.

I heard a slight sigh that seemed to be intentionally muffled. Light footsteps treaded over to my side, and I dared to look at the girl from the corner of my eye.

Despite the low light, I could see that her hair was dark, almost ebony, but parts were naturally lighter from the effects of the sun in streaks. She seemed pale, but, most humans were this time of year. I could not clearly see her face, for she looked not at me, but towards the singing choir below. Her blood smelled rather sweet, enticing me to converse with her further.

"I heard singing, but it was not from down there," I explained, "Was it you?"

The girl eyed me from the corner of her eyes, but did not speak.

"Not that it matters," I added, "I was just wondering who would possess such a voice."

The girl looked back towards the choir. "Yes, it was me," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'm sorry you had to hear such a thing."

I raised an eyebrow and turned my head towards her. "Why would you be sorry? It sounded… _quite captivating,"_ I replied, double meanings etched into my words.

She did not seem to notice my suspicions. "When I was younger, I used to pretend I was in a choir like that, but that was many years ago. I used to love singing."

"And why should you not?" I pried. "You have a wonderful _gift,_" I added, emphasizing my point of interest about her/

She blushed, that I could tell. "I'm humbled," she murmured in reply. "But… bad things seem to happen when I sing."

I raised my eyebrow again. "What sort of _bad things?_"

She shook her head. "Forget what I said. It was silly of me to mention."

My brows furrowed. Perhaps she knew what she was capable of… and perhaps she was afraid of it. Yet again, maybe she had no special 'power'; perhaps I was just seeing what I wanted to see.

Silence fell over us both, making the conversation awkward.

"They do sound lovely though, don't they?" the girl said a moment later.

"Yes," I agreed with a smile. "Quite. They are singing _Sacerdotes Domini_, correct?"

"Yes," she answered. "I'd like to think the William Byrd would love to hear his works performed, well, if he was still around, that is," she commented, with a soft sigh.

The fact that she knew the song and the composer, even though I knew myself, surprised me. "I'm sure he would." I turned to look at her, contemplating my next move. "Though I'm sure he would find today's music to be a little too frightening for his tastes."

She laughed, and I found myself smiling, even if it _wasn't_ entirely innocent happiness. "Maybe it is bad for me to think so, but that is most likely," she agreed, finally turning to face me.

Though I'm positive that her human eyes could not accurately portray my real appearance in the poor light, I could see her perfectly clear. She wasn't entirely unfortunate looking, which is a lot to say for a human. She had blue eyes that observed me curiously. That shade of blue was hard to describe, for I was indecisive to pinpoint if they were piercing or inviting. Overall, she was suit perfectly for a quick meal.

"So, do you have a name? Or should I call you 'the mysterious man who has an impressive knowledge of Renaissance music'?" she questioned.

Her boldness caught me slightly off guard. _Start by charming her,_ I reminded myself. "I do not know- which one sounds more romantic?" I asked, with a suggestive tone.

She laughed again, and shook her head at my abruptness.

"You can call me Aro," I told her. _No harm- she will not survive until the first light of dawn,_ I thought wickedly to myself.

"Well Aro," she said, trying out my name on her tongue, "You can call me Lilith."

"You have a pretty name, Lilith," I complemented sincerely, causing her to blush and smile once more.

_Dong… Dong… Dong… _The clock in the steeple started to chime, alerting the time.

Lilith cursed under her breath. "I was supposed to be home by now," she explained quickly, turning to leave. "It was nice meeting you."

"Wait," I called to her, and she stopped. "Perhaps you would like an escort? It is not very safe for you to be wondering the streets alone at this hour."

Lilith thought to herself, before finally relenting. "Alright," she replied, "But you have to be quick… and quiet." With a mischievous smile, she turned and ran down the stairs on swift and light feet, and was surprisingly quiet.

Smiling slyly to myself, I was quick to follow.

* * *

She led the way to her destination.

I walked by her side, and we made small talk about music and taste preferences. Actually, I found myself enjoying her company. She seemed to be wise beyond her years, which appeared to be few.

"How old are you, Aro?" she asked suddenly.

I was taken aback for a moment before I shook it off. "Twenty six," I replied. Technically, it was not a lie- that was my age when I was turned.

"Hm," she mused aloud.

"What is it?" I asked, confused.

"Nothing," she was quick to assure me. "You just seem… more… _intelligent_ than any other twenty six year old I've met."

I laughed half-heartedly. "I'm afraid then, Lilith, that you have not had the best of company."

She silently agreed, judging by the smirk on her face. "You just know so much about music… I don't meet people like you every day."

_Oh, how cruelly true that statement was._

"This is it," she announced, and took a final left turn.

I stopped as well, and looked at the apartment complex before the both of us. We stood in a sort of alleyway, which was created by empty space between two buildings. Several doors stood along each side, and above the doors were systems of fire escapes, consisting of steel balconies and stairs, and windows. Luckily, there was again little light.

I smiled. _Finally. _Her heartbeat pounded in my ears. I could almost feel my eyes grow dark with hunger.

"Well Aro, I really enjoyed your company tonight," Lilith told me, smiling.

"As did I," I replied. "But I was wondering…" I trailed off as I took a step closer towards her. "… Why you will not sing."

"Sing?" she questioned, and judging by her voice she was nervous. "I couldn't."

I took a final glance at the windows, to make sure there were no witnesses. "Not even a few notes, for me?" I pleaded, as I continued getting closer to her. My voice sounded innocent enough, and that seemed to calm her a bit. Her blood called out to me, enticing me to come closer.

"I really shouldn't," Lilith replied, trying to sound firm, but failing.

I merely gave her a pitiful look. "I will say nothing of it," I promised. I was very close to her now, and my face hovered slightly above her own. I stared at her neck greedily.

She looked me in the eyes, and I froze. She opened her mouth slightly, and sung a few wordless notes, staring me intensely in the eyes the entire time.

I once again slipped into that state of trance I'd experienced only a little more than an hour ago. Her voice echoed in my ears, and soon… I realized I no longer wanted to drink her blood.

_No! _I thought harshly. _Snap out of it! Get what you came here for!_ Still… the longing… it was gone. I no longer _wanted_ her blood. I did not _want _to harm her.

_What is this?_

She stopped singing, and looked at me fearfully. I regained control of my thoughts a moment later, and stared at her for a quiet moment.

The thirst for her blood returned. But why had it even disappeared in the first place?

It was almost as if she knew… Lilith had been so reluctant to sing before… why would she sing so willingly now?

Perhaps she knew that she was in danger, as most of my victims realize before their demise… but why would singing help?

_It stopped me from wanting her blood and causing her harm._

Maybe… just maybe… she had a _gift_ after all. Maybe it wasn't solely her voice that intrigued me. Maybe her voice had commanded me to do so. Maybe her voice had convinced me to not to her any harm. Maybe her voice manipulated me in some strange way...

Almost like a Siren from Greek Mythology.

I immediately backed away from her, and looked at her curiously.

I was so lost in thought, I barely noticed her retreat quickly away from me. She looked at me for a moment longer. "Bye… Aro. Maybe I'll see you again…" she whispered, even though her tone suggested otherwise. She quickly turned around and entered a door to an apartment, before shutting the door hastily.

"Goodbye… Lilith," I whispered to no one, still staring at the recently vacated space in wonder.

I turned and left the alley. _Yes, _I decided, _I will see you again, sweet Lilith._

_Very soon._

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**Reviews are welcome and appreciated. :)**


	2. Aro's Idea

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**THE PLAN is to update at least once a week, but we will see how that goes.**

**AND, in case you haven't noticed, Aro's personality in this story is going to be a little dark... and a little crazy. :) Fair warning, is all I'm saying.**

**AND, the rating may eventually change. It is likely. But for now, it will remain how it is.**

**Enjoy! :)  
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"_Ciao Maestro_!"

The secretary greeted me because it was her job to do so, and because she knew the punishment if she did not. _Humans._ They were so easily deceived… so weak… so… _replaceable. _Yet, they allowed themselves to have such high hopes that were obviously delusional. The secretary hoped to be one of us, that much was clear, but that is because she only sees what she wishes to see. She sees beautiful, graceful, and immortal beings. She has not seen the blood-thirsty monsters that we can truly be… _yet._

Personally, I hadn't even bothered to learn her name in the short two months that she has worked here.

I approached her desk without saying a word, and she watched me with wide, frightened eyes. I spotted a stack of post-it notes next to her left hand. I picked them up with one hand, and then proceeded to take the pen that she held in her right hand.

I scribbled down some words before placing the pen back into her open hand and placing the post-it notes into her other hand. She stared at me with a terrified look on her face.

I smiled coyly to myself. I leant down next to her ear and whispered, "Be a dear and get this book from my study. Then, bring it to me."

I continued to walk past her, without so much as a glance, which I'm sure left her wondering what she had done wrong. This, truthfully, wouldn't be the only human this evening that I'd had that effect on.

After that rather… _interesting_ encounter with young and captivating Lilith, I ventured a few streets south to find a drug dealer beating another man, shouting about payment of some sort. The scent of blood had grabbed my attention immediately, and I think it paid off in the end- I feasted on not only one, but _two _delicious mortals.

"Master?"

I was pulled from my thoughts as I once again refocused on the task at hand. I looked ahead down the main hallway, the same one that Heidi often led tourists through to their doom, and saw Jane walking towards me, a concerned look on her face.

"Ah, Jane, my dear," I greeted her, a smile pulling at my lips. Once she stopped in front of me, I held out my arms in greeting and placed a traditional light kiss on her cheek.

Jane is by far a favorite piece in the 'collection' of the gifted ones of my kind that I've had the pleasure of adding to my guard over the many years. Not only does she appeal to my kinder side because of how remarkable her talents are, but also because she enjoys being here- regardless of Chelsea's_ influence._ Jane is eager to please me by always doing what she is told, which is something I am very delighted with.

"Good evening Master," she greeted me in return with a nod. "How was your hunt?"

"Delightful," I answered in monotone. "But I wish to speak with my brothers immediately. Do you happen to know where they are?"

She looked rather confused at my rushed words. "They are in the throne room, Master."

"Thank you!" I gushed, not bothering to hide my anticipation. I stepped around her and continued down the long hallway quickly.

"Would you like me to accompany you?" Jane called from behind me, sounding alarmed.

"Not at all, my dear!" I replied, trying my best to sound cheerful and resolute. "Go now, take some time off. Spend time with your brother. Or better yet, I believe Heidi is expected to arrive soon with the night tour. Perhaps you could partake in the 'festivities'?"

"… Alright," Jane whispered hesitantly in reply several moments later. But by then, I'd already reached the large stone doors leading to the throne room.

* * *

"How was your evening with Sulpicia, brother?" Caius immediately greeted me upon my entrance. Caius did not face me as he spoke, for he knew that no stranger would dare enter the throne room without prior approval and announcement. Instead, he stood reading, standing at a table off to the right of the three large and elegant thrones. The table's surface was already covered with numerous ancient books and texts, excluding the large one that he was currently focused on.

"Oh," I avoided the question, "Is that what she told you her plans were for tonight?"

Caius looked up from his book, and shot a worried look at Marcus. "Yes," he replied a moment later, his hesitation clearly evident.

I half-smiled. "Interesting. Where is she now?"

"I have not seen her all night, so I assumed she was telling me the truth," Caius answered.

"I did not give the guards in the tower my permission to let her leave," I stated.

Caius sighed. "Perhaps, Aro, it is time to do something about this."

Caius and Marcus had learned of Sulpicia's affair with a still unknown guard member quite a while ago, and I had discovered it even earlier than they. Originally, I was upset. Then, I grew angry. Just as I was about to confront her about it, I had paused. I did not _need _her. I had created her, and I would surely be able to find another mate, one who would be grateful of the life I gave them.

Sulpicia would be punished for taking advantage of me, eventually. But in the meantime, watching her scurry to keep it hidden from me was _far_ too entertaining. Whenever we embraced, she repeatedly told herself not to think of her scandalous deeds, hoping that I would not learn of them by reading her thoughts. But by doing this, she only brought more thoughts of it to her mind.

I understood what Caius was suggesting. "I understand your concern, brother. But I wish to take a more strategic approach to the situation."

The topic was dismissed, as simple as that.

"How was _your _evening, then?" Caius asked.

"I was out hunting," I replied. _Which is exactly what I asked Sulpicia to tell you,_ I thought with a near audible snarl.

"And how did that go?" Caius questioned. He was originally confused by my decision to start hunting outside of Volterra on my own, but eventually he warmed up to the idea.

I considered his question. "Fairly decent."

"You hesitated," Marcus pointed out. Marcus sat on his throne, his usually detached and somber expression ever-present.

I eyed Demetri and Felix, my trusted guards who often stood guarding the entranceway. As I deliberated dismissing them, Marcus continued.

"Did something happen, Aro?"

I made a momentary squeamish face. "Well, yes. _Something _happened." I decided to approach the conversation from a different light. "Demetri, Felix?"

The two guards looked at me upon hearing their names. "Master?" Felix spoke on behalf of both of them.

"How were those leads I asked you to follow through with?" I asked, trying to sound as pleasant as possible, even though I was anxious to hear of their findings.

Upon our return to Volterra from America last year, I immediately began researching through the thousands of varying ancient texts my brothers and I had acquired over the years. For as long as my other prior obligations allowed, I searched vigorously for any clues and information concerning vampire hybrids that I may have once overlooked. Unfortunately, I found very little.

The next step was to send scouts, mainly Felix and Demetri, but occasionally Santiago as well, out of Volterra to the vampire populated locations in the world, seeing what information they could find on these fascinating creatures. Though a reward was promised to anyone who could provide legitimate information, few leads arose. I reasoned that the Volturi were still feared too much after the incident with the Cullens, which I know for a fact spread like wildfire on a dry and bare plane. Those who may have actually had information were scared to share their knowledge.

In a last desperate attempt, I encouraged Demetri and Felix to search more remote places of the world, and spread news that the Volturi were seeking these hybrids. They returned shortly after, with no news. I had been about to give up, if it had not been for an anonymous tip delivered via mail from Alaska. After that, steadily but surely, more information was passed on to my brothers and I. Of course, Demetri and Felix were sent to see if these leads were credible. To assure that my guards were not being led on 'a wild goose chase', all false or utterly ridiculous tips resulted in pain of death for those who had cried wolf.

Still, no hybrids had been found.

Demetri and Felix looked at each other uneasily. Naturally, I frowned. "Unsuccessful, Master," Demetri answered in an apologetic tone. "The responsible party was destroyed."

I remained silent for a few seconds, before sighing. "Very well," I told them. "Thank you for your efforts. I can always trust you two to do as asked without any complications."

Demetri and Felix seemed pleased by my comment of praise.

"You may be dismissed," I added a moment later, "I wish to speak to my brothers alone."

Demetri and Felix left with no farther comments or questions, shutting the door behind them.

"Aro, what is on your mind?" Marcus asked once the echoing of the stone doors shutting had silenced.

I sighed frustratedly as I walked over to sit next to him, on my own throne. As pathetic as it was, I plopped down in a sitting position, my mind- in all its glory- spent. "I am afraid that I have grown tired of waiting."

"Aro, I understand that you find these hybrids fascinating," Caius carefully spoke, not looking away from the pages beneath his fingers. "But I fear that if there were any to be found, we would have found them by now."

"Yes," Marcus agreed, though it was barely above a whisper.

"Nonsense," I told them both, waving off their negativity with my hand. "They will be found. And when they are, they will join us. Together, we can set the Cullens in their rightful place… 'with a taste of their own medicine'. I believe that is the saying nowadays."

Marcus nodded in confirmation silently beside me.

"Brother, I am sure the three of us can agree that the rightful place for the Cullens is to be among the ashes beneath our feet," Caius commented. "Unfortunately, with that newborn shield of theirs, the task is near impossible, even with our talented guard. You said yourself that you saw the entire Volturi's demise in Alice's vision last year."

I remained quiet as I attempted to sort my thoughts.

"If we could find a way to distract her, lower her senses, and make her powerless even for a few moments…" Caius mused aloud, looking up from his reading, "The results could prove successful."

I pondered his musings. "You speak the plan as clear as day, Caius. Now all that remains is to find the key to implementing it."

"I have faith that you will find a solution soon, Aro," Caius told me confidentially, finally closing the book. "You always do."

There was a knock at the stone doors.

"Enter," I called.

The doors opened, and a woman in high heels entered. "_Mastero?" _the secretary called, with the book I had requested in her hands.

I smiled, and rubbed my hands together quickly in anticipation. Standing up and walking over to her, I stared into her dark scared eyes with my own blood red ones. When I was in front of her, I took the book from her, and said, "Thank you, my sweet." When she continued to stare at me for several more moments, I added, slightly annoyed, "You may go now."

She did not hesitate. After she exited, the doors closed behind her.

"Shame," Caius commented. "I was hoping you'd decide to have her as a snack."

I smiled at my brother's sick humor. "No, brother, I've had my fill for tonight." I walked over to where Caius stood and placed the book on the table. Immediately, I began flipping through pages, searching for a particular entry. When I found it, I smiled widely.

"Well, brothers, I'm going to retire to my study for the rest of the evening," I announced, quickly turning to leave.

"Try not to think over think things, Aro," Marcus warned sincerely, and his advice I would most definitely take heed of.

* * *

I sat in my quiet, peaceful, and serene study until the first lights of dawn shone through the long and narrow windows where the wall and ceiling met. I was sitting in a luxurious seat with leather upholstery; the book I'd asked the secretary to retrieve was sitting open on the desk in front of me. Though unnecessary, I blinked several times when the sunlight shined upon my eyes.

I'd been re-reading the short two-page entry concerning Greek mythological Sirens for the entire rest of the night, memorizing the entire passage with ease. Lilith certainly had qualities that brought these creatures to my mind. As I repeated phrases of distinctive importance aloud, I contemplated what I was going to do about Lilith.

I could not simply let her go off on her merry way of life. _No_. She knew my name, and she knew how close I'd come to killing her. If she was a smart girl, she would have filed a police report concerning me. But, I highly doubt she would have done that. She was mesmerized by me, as I was mesmerized by her.

Which, of course, could be a potential advantage in my favor for the future.

After several more hours of contemplating, I decided that today was to be a day of special observance.

_I will see for myself exactly what Lilith has to offer to the Volturi._

* * *

After several hours of following Lilith around, I'd learned three things.

One: She forgot things easily. I had no trouble finding the apartment into which she had disappeared last night, or rather, early this morning. I remained hidden as I watched her leave. She exited the apartment as a normal person would; as she stepped out of the door, she did not look around nervously for any signs potential danger. The encounter I'd had with her last night had not seemed to have fazed her. _Interesting._

Two: She was aware, but not distracted, by the universe around her. She did not notice me as I followed her. Of course, I cleverly concealed myself, but she did not seem to have any feeling of paranoia of being watched as even the most dim-witted humans have had when I stalk my prey.

Three: she _really_ enjoyed music. As she went about errands that usual humans do, she had headphones- connecting to what Jane had informed me previously was an MP3 player- in her ears at all times.

First, she took some letters to the post office- which I found odd: I have read of advances in technology that would almost deem sending letters redundant.

Second, she walked to an old theater, titled _Fama_, which vaguely translated from Italian to English as "Fame". She entered the doors quickly, and soon I followed.

* * *

Similar to the scene of Lilith's and I's first meeting, _Fama _had balcony seating.

A lone stage light shined upon the stage where Lilith played a black grand piano, oblivious to my presence. I watched her curiously, intrigued by what I was seeing.

She played some songs I have not heard by what I assume to be memory, as she had no sheet music sitting on the stand. When she finished , she pulled out some sheet music, and after setting it on the stand, she took a deep breath, and began to play.

It was rather charming. She went through the entire piece of music, which I came to realize was _Lacrimosa,_ testing out notes as she went. She made a face of annoyance and a sigh of distress of whenever she played the wrong note, and I smiled each time she did so. When she finished practicing, she bit her tongue in concentration and began to play the piece seriously.

As her fingers danced along the keys, she began to sing softly, "_Lacrimosa dies illa…"_

The trance I slipped into was not as strong as the one I'd been in before, but it was present, none the less.

_What to do, what to do… _I thought in my head repeatedly. _She would have much potential as an immortal, _I decided. _Still, what is the rush? She is a very curious human. If only I could observe her until my curiosity is satisfied…_

Then it hit me.

* * *

I stormed into the throne room in an excited frenzy.

Marcus and Caius sat upon their thrones, and watched me curiously.

"Brothers!" I greeted them happily. "I have found a solution to our problems!"

Marcus and Caius exchanged uneasy glances.

"Aro, are you well?" Marcus asked.

"I am now, dear Marcus!" I exclaimed. "The solution to obtaining hybrids is so obvious, I do not know how we could have overlooked it!" I am sure my smile was a terrifying sight to behold at this moment.

Caius raised an eyebrow. "Do explain."

"Bear with me," I pleaded to them, before pacing around theatrically. "I thought to myself… If we cannot find existing hybrids," I stopped, and faced them, "Why can't we _create _some ourselves?"

The room went completely silent. If the three of us still had heartbeats in our empty chests, they would have echoed throughout the throne room and beyond.

"… What?" Caius gasped finally. "Are you suggesting-"

"-Yes, I am," I finished, my smile not faltering in the slightest. "We could do it- the task of finding a human would be fairly easy, with some careful searching."

"Aro," Caius said, his voice lowered. "We have wives," he reminded me.

"Yes, but Sulpicia is hardly a concern at this point- and I would _never _force you to replace Athenodora," I told him patiently. "Simply… _borrow_ a human."

Caius seemed to ponder my bold suggestion. "You are serious, aren't you?"

"Absolutely!" I enthused.

Caius sighed. "Well, seeing as you are particularly excited about this, am I right to assume you may have already found a potential human who will help you achieve this?"

"You know me too well, brother," I replied. "She is a very intriguing human. Unfortunately, it would be difficult to explain why she is so intriguing without her being present. Perhaps I can bring her here?" In that instant, my mind started cranking out ideas like a brand-new machine. I felt a tremendous sense of pride in _finally _discovering the key to reinstating my power.

Caius gawked at me slightly. "And what exactly do you plan to do with her here?"

I turned and walked towards the exit, thinking of all the arrangements that would have to be made in such a short time. "I do not know all the details yet, dear Caius, but rest assured, this is something that I am very serious about. This is something that I want."

I stopped underneath the doorway. "And I _always_ get what I want."

* * *

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	3. Preperations

**THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR FEEDBACK! :)**

**So, I pretty much typed this all up today. I wasn't really happy with it at first, but I think (in my own opinion, at least) it got better towards the end of it.**

******I'M SORRY IF IT'S TOO SHORT. :/ I wanted to get at least a little bit more of the story out.**

**I decided Lilith needed to have a little POV time. Her thoughts and feelings will be explained in more detail later, but right now her POV is basically to establish her life and living situation.**

**Hope you guys like it :)**

* * *

**Lilith's POV**

After several hours of playing, I finally decided to close the lid over the piano keys. I sat back as I stretched out my arms and cracked my fingers. Suddenly, I realized how tired my eyes felt. I reached into my pocket and pulled out my MP3 player, which has become more like a companion than a mere piece of machinery over the years, and checked the time. _11:30 P.M._

I cursed. It appeared that I would be repeating last night's events if I did not hurry. I scrambled to grab all of my belongings, fumbling a bit with the various sheets of music.

I knew what- or _who, _rather- was waiting for me when I got home from _Fama,_ and I inwardly groaned.

* * *

I shut the apartment door closed behind me, before throwing my back against it and breathing out my feelings of nervousness. The living room was dark, and I couldn't see much- _a good sign_.

"Where in the hell have you been?"

_I spoke too soon. _

There was a quick pull of a metal string and not a moment later the room was illuminated, with aid from a lamp in the far right corner. Marietta, my older sister by 9 years, glared angrily at me, the lamp illuminating only half her face, and making her seem even more threatening.

"I _said,_ where in the hell have you been?" Marietta repeated, anger laced into her words.

I hesitated to reply. "I'm not fifteen, Mary. There is no need to wait up for me," I spoke carefully, attempting to dismiss the subject with humor.

My use of her nickname did nothing to soothe her rage. "I didn't want to take a chance, with last night's happenings."

_Aro. _

"Did you think it was okay to lead strange men to my apartment?" Marietta demanded. "My children are here!"

"They were fine, and your husband was upstairs," I said smoothly, rolling my eyes. "Besides, he didn't do anything."

"Bullshit!" she cursed angrily. "I saw you two through the window- he looked at you as though you were some sort of _snack!"_

I shivered, recalling last night's events in my mind. "It doesn't matter- nothing happened, and I will probably never see him again."

I walked past her and into the kitchen. Then, I proceeded to find some food. Marietta was quick to follow.

"Nothing happened because you used that freaky, demonic, _thing_ you do!" she accused, trying to sound firm, but instead she sounded slightly nervous, even a tad bit frightened.

I decided to bring humor back into the conversation. "If you're not careful," I warned playfully, "I'll use it on you, too!"

She looked slightly frazzled, but eventually regained her composure. "I'm serious, Lilith! You can't do _that _anymore. It isn't normal! Who knows what kind of voodoo thing you're messing with when you do that!"

I frowned. "I don't think its voodoo," I commented quietly. "It's just… a _gift_, is all."

"Please," Marietta scoffed. "It's not a gift- it's more like a curse. Look at what it did for Rose."

That was definitely a tender topic. "Rose is where she is because you sent her there!"

"And where exactly is that, hm?" Marietta asked, speaking to me as if I was the same age as her young children. "You're allowed to say it- Rose is in a mental institution."

"Shut up!" I growled, not wanting to listen.

"She's in that mental institution," she continued none-the-less, "Because she, like you, has what you call a _gift._ It's sick and evil- what you two can do."

"But she isn't insane!" I argued.

"I can't take that risk. I gave you both a chance to live with me, and simply _be normal- _though you two are obviously far from that- and Rose threw it back in my face. She used her _gift, _and soon people started to notice. That is why she's where she is."

"So you put her there so she wouldn't ruin your reputation?"

"You two already ruined my reputation!" Marietta shouted.

I said nothing, and the room stayed quiet for several minutes. Finally, I said, "I'm sorry that our father's affair with my mother ruined your life and your family's reputation. I'm sorry you felt some sort of obligation to take care of Rose and I after our mother died. But if you don't let it go, how can you expect me to live here?"

"I meant what I said last night, after you came home with that strange man," Marietta said quietly, avoiding my eyes. "I want you out."

I sighed. "I'll admit, I didn't think you were serious, but just in case, I sent letters out today to my friends, asking for some money."

"Good," she replied quickly. "As much as I'd gladly pay for a plane ticket that would encourage you to leave, money is tight these days."

"Well," I replied shortly, "I'm glad I won't be much of a burden much longer." I stormed past her and up the stairs.

* * *

**Aro's POV**

The next few days were spent preparing.

Simply going and kidnapping Lilith would do me no good. She would most likely have relatives or friends who would notice her absence, and I did not want to alert the authorities.

First, I would need to plan.

I couldn't plot my strategy for obtaining the girl without knowing prior information.

While I was sitting on my throne in the throne room, Marcus and Caius watched me curiously. I flipped through a file that I had asked a friend to retrieve for me, my eyes scanning thoroughly over the contents. Inside contained all the official details about this 'Lilith' that could possibly be found.

After 15 minutes of reading the elaborate document, I learned: Lilith Costa is 23 years old, with both Italian and American heritage, which would explain her natural English-tongue.

Her general information seemed pretty… well, general. She graduated from a high school in the Unites States, but did not receive any further form of education. She recently (to be precise, within two months ago) moved to Tuscany. She is listed as living with an unnamed relative, but it does not really matter- I know the address. She hasn't broken any laws- which may say something about her character and personality. No serious marks on her record. Her information seemed… normal.

Her family relations were an entirely different story.

I had to read through the paragraphs concerning the topic several times, to make sure I understood what was written, as it was rather complex.

Lilith is the second daughter and the youngest of a pair of fraternal twins parented by Scipio Costa and Charlotte Gentry. The two were not wed at the time of the twins' birth, because Scipio Costa was already married to another Italian named Clarissa Costa (née Piero), with whom he has another daughter named Marietta Costa.

Her mother died about 10 years ago. The records show her father being alive and living in the United States, but he is no longer involved with Clarissa.

Marietta, Lilith's older half-sister, lives in Tuscany with her husband and 3 children.

Lilith's older twin, Rosemary, was in a mental institution in Lazio, the region just to the south of Tuscany. There was not much information as to why Rosemary was admitted, but even I found it odd, as there were no mental illnesses that ran in the family… as least none that were listed on the file.

"Brother, what are you reading?" Caius asked, when he could not contain his curiosity any longer.

"Simply doing a background check," I answered pleasantly, closing the file.

"On…?" Caius pressed.

"You shall find out soon enough," I promised with a smile, and turned to leave.

* * *

I had a room set up to accommodate the Volturi's soon-to-be-guest. Strangely enough, I found myself hoping that she would enjoy it.

Of course, the extent of her stay would be decided by her alone. If she wished to stay: excellent. If she decided that she'd rather be dead than a prisoner- which, she would most likely become- that could be arranged.

But it would be a shame to waste such marvelous potential.

By this time, the guard, but mostly Sulpicia, grew curious as to what my plans were. Marcus, Caius, and I agreed to speak to no one of my plan until all the details had been worked out. _Let them be curious,_ I reminded myself.

I was so lost in my thoughts that when I had retired to my private quarters for the evening, I hadn't noticed another presence in the room, until a pair of strong arms wrapped around my waist.

"Aro," Sulpicia purred in a seductive tone.

I fought the urge to roll my eyes. "Yes, my dear?"

"I've been lonely the past few days," Sulpicia pouted, turning to face me. "You've been so busy with that '_project' _of yours. I rarely get too see you anymore."

_And it will only get worse, _I promised mentally with a wide smile. "Surely you can find someone else to keep you company?" I suggested knowingly.

Her face contorted to a look of pure confusion. _Such a good actress,_ I praised. "I haven't the slightest idea of what you mean," she replied.

I shook my head. "It does not matter."

"If you tell me what it is that you've been occupied with these past few days," she suggested, batting her eyelashes, "Perhaps I could help? Maybe then we would be able to spend some time together."

My smile faltered slightly, but I was quick to regain my pleasant composure. "Don't worry, Sulpicia, things are about to change."

She seemed satisfied enough with my answer to dismiss the topic. She wrapped her arms tighter around me, but I did not return the gesture.

_Oh, what a glorious thing change can be._

* * *

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	4. Abduction

**Gah, you guys are awesome! :) Your feedback is crazy great! I really appreciate it! :)**

**Hope you enjoy this chapter. :)**

* * *

**Aro's POV**

It was morning a few days later that I finally learned the identity of the man whom Sulpicia was having an affair with.

His name was Michael, a new guard member whom had only been with the Volturi for a few months. He had a gift similar to Demetri's, though not nearly as strong. Still, Caius suggested for him to stay with us, in case- everything right and just in this world forbid it- anything happened to Demetri.

Michael's loss would not be too terribly mourned.

Except by Sulpicia, that is.

I fondly remember the pure look of horror on Sulpicia's face as I coincidentally walked into her private quarters in the tower, where she spent most of her time, unannounced. She and Michael were lying on the bed, with nothing but a sheet covering them.

Even though the event that had taken place was apparent, Sulpicia still flinched away from Michael, drawing the sheet with her, when she had noticed my presence in the room.

As Michael lay helpless as a victim under my piercing gaze, Sulpicia pleaded, "It is not what it looks like, Aro! This man… Michael, I think his name is… he raped me!"

Michael had given her a look of hurt at her betrayal.

"Yes," she spoke, mostly to herself, nodding her head several times. "He raped me! I called for help, but no one came!"

I shot her a brief look of pity before deciding to go along with her accusation. I had quickly called for Felix and Santiago to escort Michael to the dungeons, which had gone unused for quite some time. The reason was simple- the Volturi don't give second chances. Simply placing someone in a locked cell gave them more time to convince themselves that they have done no wrong, and what lesson did that teach?

Even as Felix and Santiago gave me polite, questioning looks, I ignored them. My mind games with Sulpicia and her lover were far from over. Michael, as he was still a newborn, had not been around long enough to know exactly what the Volturi capable of. He would most likely sit a dark, vacated cell, dwelling in his fear, for days- or weeks, depending on how particularly evil I feel in a few days- until I decide the proper punishment.

In the mean time, Sulpicia would assume that I had believed her. She will be so lost in her joy; she will be nearly oblivious to anything else. I will wait until the opportune moment to dispose of her.

Oh, how surprised she will be when I bring a human to live with us!

* * *

The day I chose to implement my plan arrived.

The sky was grey and clouds masked the sun. A storm was brewing, judging by the occasional low rumbles of thunder. The original arrangement I had conjured up briefly in my mind had taken place entirely under the safety of the dark of night. The fact alone that the sun was absent allowed me more time to achieve what I needed done and broadened possible executions of my scheme. It was a perfect day, indeed.

Though I had physically written nothing down, I had, in my mind, made a mental diagram of steps that would need to be followed in order to ensure that I would not be exposed and Lilith's absence would not be noticed. Well, _too _noticed.

Since I've spent the past few days planning, I've taken a risk by not 'watching over' the girl. For all I know, though I highly doubt it is so, she may have died in the past few days. After all, human life is so, so fragile.

Before leaving Volterra, I arranged for the secretary to obtain some colored contacts. They burned slightly, but I assured myself that they were necessary.

I breathed an apathetic sigh as I walked along the streets of Tuscany once more. _A few short hours, _I reminded myself. _A few short hours until I possess this intriguing creature._

* * *

I was temporarily set back when I learned that Lilith no longer resided in the apartment.

"She's not here," a woman answered, her voice quavering slightly as she stood awkwardly beside the open door. "She moved out the day before yesterday."

Though the woman had blonde hair that contrasted Lilith's dark ebony hair, she only appeared to be several years older than Lilith, and the family resemblance was clearly evident. I concluded that this was Lilith's older sister, Marietta.

"Oh, my apologies then," I replied sincerely. "I am sorry to have disturbed you. May I ask where she went? I met her the other day, you see, and I promised to take her out to dinner sometime," I explained, using an innocent tone that would fool even Marcus and Caius, who have known me for thousands of years.

The woman shrugged. "I'm sorry sir, but I'm not sure if she is even in the country. The last time I spoke to her, she had plans to go and live with some friends in the United States." She hesitated for a moment, before adding, "But, if she is still here, I think I know who she may be staying with. Hold on for one minute- let me get their address."

* * *

**Lilith's POV**

"More eggs and bacon, dear?"

I smiled and shook my head. "No thank you, ma'am."

"Lilith, dear, how many times have I asked you to call me Jeanie?"

Mrs. Roberson, who insists I call her by her first name, put her hands on her hips and shook her head in mock disproval.

"Possibly as many times as I've asked you to call me Lily," I replied with a smile.

Mrs. Roberson _tsk_ed at me.

"Jeanie, have you seen my wallet?" Mr. Roberson bellowed, entering the kitchen from the living room.

Mr. Roberson is the owner of _Fama _and the man who has been letting me play the grand piano there since I moved to Tuscany. After I moved out of Marietta's apartment, Mr. Roberson offered to let me stay with him and his wife for a few days, since my friends have yet to lend me some money for an airline ticket back to the United States.

Though I hated to impose, I felt sympathy for Mr. and Mrs. Roberson. Their children, who are all grown and living on their own, rarely come to visit, from what Mrs. Roberson tells me.

"It's on the table, honey," Mrs. Roberson told him patiently, as she went to clean up the dishes.

"Thank you," Mr. Roberson mumbled quietly as he walked over to where I was sitting and picked up the wallet that was to my right.

"I can help you with those," I offered.

"Nonsense, dear," Mrs. Roberson dismissed my offer. "I'm just stacking up these dishes for him," she threw her head in Mr. Roberson's direction. "It's his turn to wash them."

"Oh, that's right," Mr. Roberson grumbled. "Lily, do you think you could fetch those lists of telephone numbers that I left in my office?"

In exchange for being allowed entrance to _Fama _as often as I wished, I became a secretary of sorts for Mr. Roberson.

"Which one?" I asked, standing up. "The one with the handyman's numbers or the one with the band managers' numbers?"

"The handyman's, please."

I started walking towards a hallway leading off of the kitchen when the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it," Mrs. Roberson volunteered.

I entered the office and scanned the room quickly before I found the list of numbers upon Mr. Roberson's desk. I left as quickly as I had entered.

As I made my way back to the kitchen, I heard voices coming from the living room, where the front door was located.

"Good day, _Signora_, my name is Aro. I was wondering if a girl named Lilith resides here?"

I froze, and the list fell from my hands. Mr. Roberson, who was occupied with cleaning dishes, did not notice me. I stood listening intently to the conversation taking place in the next room.

"Yes, she does," Mrs. Roberson carefully. "Do you know her?"

"Yes," Aro replied. "We met several days ago, when I escorted her to her home late one evening. Sorry, I'm completely unaware of how rude I must seem. I stopped by her apartment this evening, but her sister informed me that she had moved out. She gave me your address and said this is where Lilith might be." His voice was as entrancing as it was when we first met, but it also carried an undertone of unknown malice that Mrs. Roberson did not seem to notice.

I quietly bent down and picked up the list. I walked over to Mr. Roberson, and put the list on the counter space to his left.

"Thank you, Lily," Mr. Roberson replied.

Mrs. Roberson laughed in the other room. "It is quite alright, sir. You said you escorted Lily home one evening?"

"Yes," Aro replied.

"What a gentleman," Mrs. Roberson complimented.

I quietly walked out of the kitchen into the hallway between the kitchen and the living room, ever so carefully listening to each and every word.

"Please, _Signora,_ I am no gentleman," Aro politely refused the compliment. "I simply know of dangers awaiting a woman who walks alone at night, and I would hate to be the irresponsible man who would not help such a woman."

Mrs. Roberson laughed again. "Well, why don't you come in for a moment? It's quite cold outside; I wouldn't want you to get a chill."

"Thank you."

In a panic, I fled back to the kitchen, and almost ran over Mr. Roberson in the process.

"Where's the fire?" he asked with a hearty chuckle.

I opened my mouth to speak, but Mrs. Roberson came into the room.

"Honey, we have a guest. Would you mind talking to him for a moment?" Mrs. Roberson asked her husband.

Mr. Roberson nodded and left the room. In the other room, I could hear him exchange a few words with Aro.

"There's a man here, he wishes to see you," Mrs. Roberson told me once he had left. "His name is Aro, he says you two met a few days ago…?"

I nodded. "Yes. Unfortunately, I don't wish to see him at the moment."

That night, a few days ago, still confuses me. I cannot decide whether Aro was a stalker who wished to kill me or rape me, or both, or if he was a genuinely nice and pleasant person to be around as I originally thought him to be.

Mrs. Roberson gasped. "Don't you think that's a bit rude dear? He seems very nice. He mentioned something about taking you to dinner."

My eyes widened. "I really don't think now is the best time-"

"Hush! Now go get your jacket."

I could do nothing but comply.

I went to the guest bedroom, where I currently slept, and grabbed my jacket. _I can't believe I'm going through with this,_ I scolded myself bitterly. Since I could not afford a cell phone, my worries increased.

"Everything all right?" Mrs. Roberson asked suddenly, appearing in the doorway.

I jumped out of shock. When I finally got my breathing under control, I nodded. _There is nothing to worry about, _I told myself firmly. _But just in case…_

"I'll be out in a minute," I replied quickly. Mrs. Roberson took the hint and left, heading towards the living room, I assume.

I knelt down on the floor and reached underneath the bed. I stuck my arm underneath, and moved it around until I felt a handle. I smiled and pulled my arm back out.

I looked at my open palm at the pocket knife that rested there. The knife had once saved me during darker days of my youth, and should any troubles arise, I would hope it would be able to do so again. I quickly hid the knife in my jacket and left.

* * *

I entered the living room nervously.

Immediately, my eyes caught Aro's. As he stood, mere feet in front of me, I felt uncomfortable under his gaze.

Mrs. Roberson, who had once again been in a conversation with Aro, stopped when she saw that I had entered the room.

"There she is," she said, smiling at me. "You two go now, have fun, and don't stay out too late."

"Of course," Aro said courteously, his eyes never leaving my own. "Shall we go, then?" he asked me a moment later.

As if I had a choice.

* * *

Aro escorted me on foot to a restaurant that I had never been to in downtown Livorno. On the short walk, neither of us said a word.

_This is going to be a long and sad delay of my death, _I thought miserably.

Aro held the door open for me, and I entered quietly. Once he entered himself, he led me over to the podium where a server stood.

"_Signore_ Aro," the server greeted us cheerfully, with a very thick Italian accent. "You're table is ready."

Aro smiled in return. The server turned, and motioned for us to follow him through the formal restaurant. _Too formal. _As we walked past crowded tables with people wining and dining, I suddenly felt self conscious at the lack of formal attire I wore.

"I take it you know this place?" I whispered to Aro after a moment.

Aro seemed surprised that I had spoken. However, he simply gave me a nod as an answer.

"Here you are, _Signore,"_ the server announced, stopping us at a table beside a window facing the street. "And you too, _Signora,"_ the server acknowledged me with a friendly smile.

I tried to return the smile. Aro gestured for me to sit down, and I did so. Then, he sat down in the chair opposite of the one I sat upon.

"Can I assume it is 'the usual' for you, _Signore _Aro?" the server questioned.

Aro nodded.

"And for you, _Signora?"_

"Just a water, please," I answered quietly.

The server nodded and left to place our order.

I stared at Aro, and he stared at me.

His dark raven hair was in the same fashion that it had been a couple days ago. He wore black clothes that matched his hair. There was something different about him though… his eyes. I decided to ignore my suspicion.

I shrugged off my jacket, and he did the same.

We both continued to stare down one another.

"So…?" I said awkwardly, unsure of what should be said or done.

Aro gave me a questioning look.

"Why did you bring me here?" I worked up the nerve to ask.

Aro tilted his head slightly, as if observing me through a different light. "I rather enjoyed your company the other night, Lily."

"_Lilith,"_ I corrected him quickly, not caring to watch my almost-threatening tone.

"My apologies," he replied quickly. "But that is the reason for which we are here."

"So we can sit and stare awkwardly at each other?"

Aro stared blankly at me for another moment, before a smile spread across his face.

"What is so funny?" I demanded, finding some unknown courage within myself.

Aro shook his head, allowing his silent laughter to die down. "You are an amusing person, Lilith."

"Well… thank you," I said carefully, not sure whether or not to be pleased or insulted.

"It was a compliment," Aro responded, catching my hesitation.

The server once again approached our table. "Here you are," he announced, setting a wine glass in front of Aro and a regular glass in front of me. "Will that be all?"

Aro nodded, and the server left once more.

I looked at Aro's glass curiously. It contained some strange and dark wine I had never seen before.

"What is that?" I asked curiously.

"It is this restaurant's specialty," he answered, rather cryptically.

I chose to ignore his awkward answer, and took a sip of my water.

"Lilith," Aro said a moment later, grabbing my attention. "The other night, you mentioned some composers that you liked. Why is that so?"

I smiled.

* * *

We talked for about an hour. Maybe two.

I was so lost in our conversation, my worries from the night a few days ago had all but disappeared. It was almost as if I meeting Aro again, and the scary scenario outside Marietta's apartment had never happened.

"Shall we go for a walk? There's a nice park across the street," Aro explained.

* * *

**Aro's POV**

Evening drew nearer.

Lilith has yet to fail to amaze me.

Her opinions, her thoughts, they were so _unique. _Her ability to forgive and forget was amazing, as well. That would come in handy.

We walked through the park, in no particular rush. The sky grew dark and dim, and soon street lamps aligning the street provided the only light. A breeze blew through the air as the cold of night ascended upon the earth.

When she stopped in mid sentence about Beethoven and shivered, I instantly took off my jacket and put it over her shoulders.

She protested, "I don't need your jacket."

"I have no use for it," I told her honestly.

She looked at me for a moment longer to see if I was serious, and then continued with her thought.

I found myself enjoying her company. I enjoyed it so much, that I began to mentally compare her to Sulpicia. Sulpicia had once shared the interests I did, or at least had pretended to do so, but that was very long ago. Things have changed.

A thought occurred to me then.

_What if Lilith could not only help me in my revenge, but solve other problems in my life as well?_

With some work and effort in convincing Caius and Marcus, I realized I very well _could _replace Sulpicia… with Lilith. _Yes, _I told myself, smiling widely. Lilith was excellent company, her _gift_ was extraordinary, and if I could do things the right way, by correcting what I'd done with Sulpicia, I could make Lilith my new mate.

And if I did this _just _right, with careful convincing and planning, I would not have to have Chelsea interfere by using her _gift._

Of course, if this new plan got in the way of my revenge, I would have to do what is best for my coven.

But I was willing to at least try.

"Aro?"

I was broken from thoughts by Lilith, who looked at me with a concerned look. "Are you all right?" she asked.

"Yes, I am fine. Absolutely excellent, actually," I clarified.

She opened her mouth to say more-

But suddenly fell beneath my vision.

I quickly extended an arm out to catch her before she hit the cold ground, as a result of slipping on a patch of ice.

Her breathing sped up, reawakening my previously tamed thirst.

"Thank you," she gasped a moment later, composing herself. With a nervous laugh, she added, "That was close."

"Too close," I commented, helping her stand. However, I still held her hand in my own. She stared at me. Suddenly, I smiled, and pressed my thumb into her wrist in a certain spot, and she frowned. A moment later, her eyes rolled back into her skull and her body grew limp.

I reached out to catch her and pulled her into my arms.

_Ah, those pressure points, _I mused.

* * *

I had carried Lilith back all the way back to Volterra, and easily, due to years of practice, avoided suspicion.

"Master?"

I ignored Jane as I continued down the stairs leading to a long hallway, determined to reach my destination quickly without arousing any more questions than necessary.

Once I found the door I'd been seeking, I smiled. With one hand, I turned the handle and kicked it open with my right foot. I entered quickly and shut the door with my foot behind me.

I stood in the room that I had servants prepare for Lilith, and looked around. All seemed to be in order.

I looked down at Lilith in my arms, who looked so peaceful, she might have been in a mere dreamful sleep. I smiled.

I walked over to the queen sized bed along the right wall and gently set Lilith down, minding her head. Then I stood back and watched as her breathing grew even, alerting me that she would soon awaken.

"When you awake, my dear," I told her sleeping form softly, moving a strand of fallen hair away from her face. "We shall see what my brothers think of you. But I'm sure they, like me, will be impressed."

Only with my brother's consent would I allow myself to keep Lilith as my mate.

If not, well… she would still suit in helping me with my vendetta.

* * *

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	5. A Lot of Red Eyes

**Disclamier: (better late than never) If you recognize it, I don't own it.**

**Thanks everyone for the feedback! I hope you guys continue to be awesome! I'm not much of a beginning Author Notes person, so there are more notes at the end of this chapter.**

**I personally like how this chapter turned out, but everyone is entitled to their opinions.**

**Hope you enjoy it :)**

* * *

**Lilith's POV**

It was dark. I groaned. I was lying down, not on concrete, as I had originally suspected, but rather something much softer.

Then I froze. _Where am I?_

Not daring to open my eyes, I frantically tried to recall what happened. _I slipped on some ice… while with Aro. Perhaps I hit my head?_

_No, _I decided after a moment f silent contemplation. _Aro caught me._

If my eyes were open, they would've widened with horror.

With a fright, I wondered where Aro was. Was he watching me right now? I unintentionally shivered at the thought of his piercing gaze upon me; the thought alone made me self conscious.

I was stupid- no, _beyond _stupid- to trust Aro, this man, whom I had only just met, so easily. Why had I even let him escort me home several nights ago? It was stupid, reckless, and irresponsible. I knew nothing of him- save his name, and his musical preferences. But that was nothing. Looking back, I'd probably have been safer walking home alone. _If I end up dead, I can blame no one but myself, _I thought miserably. _Why am I so hasty in placing trust?_

_Because you're lonely, _a conscious-like voice answered my own question within my mind. _Because you _want _someone to trust, you've grown eager to charge people with it. Because you want things to go back to what they once were, you _want _to make friends. You want to be a friend, and be cared for._

_What about Marietta? _I suggested to myself.

_She feels obligated to care for me, and you know this, _I told myself. _Perhaps it could be enough, if you were selfless. But you're not- you're a human. You're naturally inclined to behave selfishly on a regular occurrence. Rather than Marietta's, though conditional, care, you want what she has, and what most of your friends have- love from another._

I scoffed. _I've got to stop being so ridiculous!_

_What is wrong with me?! _"I'm arguing with myself!" I exclaimed, disgusted.

"Pardon me?"

I froze, and my eyes opened fearfully- only to meet darkness. With a hesitant hand, I reached up towards my face, and felt something soft and fluffy- _a pillow?_ Fully coming to my senses, I realized I had been lying face down. It was surprising that I had not suffocated during my hysterics.

I lifted my head up, with one eye cautiously open, the other shut tightly in fear of what I might see. I found myself staring at… the headboard of a bed?

I gulped. _Alright, first indication of my location- not so promising._

My eyes trailed downward to the blood red duvet above the mattress. On an unrelated note, I realized that the pillows resting at an angle against the headboard matched.

I decided that facing my death head on would appear less weak to the imposter, so that is what I did. I sat up straight and turned, facing the rest of the room.

What could be seen of the wall was a dark red, near the same shade as the duvet upon which I sat. However, most of the wall was covered by hanging decorations, such as exquisite paintings that seemed to carry a common theme of the more somber, gloomy, and darker plays on emotions. The room was crowded- but carefully arranged so as not to appear so- with furnishings that I could describe only as gothic, even as carefully and hesitantly I was to label anything as such. Also, everything seemed to share the color scheme of black and red. _Odd._

A couch with red cushions and pillows sat along the wall opposite of the bed, in front of a large, curtained square, which I could only assume was a window. A dark wooden wardrobe stood in the far right corner at a diagonal viewpoint from my perspective. On the right side of the bed, closest to me, was a simple nightstand, with a lone rose in vase resting on top of it. To the left of the couch stood a bookshelf, with a few books lined up along its shelves.

Along the left wall, near the bookshelf, was a thick, wooden door, finished in some sort of stone, leading to some unknown location that I wasn't feeling particularly up to discovering the destination of. To my direct left, along the same wall as the headboard of the bed, was another door.

Above the ceiling was an electrically lighted mini-chandelier, which provided the only light.

_Whoever designed this room seems to have taken a lot of time and effort to make it this remarkable and appealing, _I thought admiringly. _I wonder why I am here, then?_

Once my eyes, now both fully open, had taken in the contents of the room in utter fascination, they fell upon a frail woman sitting on the couch, who looked at me inquisitively. Dark hair was pulled back from her face and tied up behind her head. She was as pale as snow, something not entirely abnormal given the season. The only thing that struck me as both peculiar and frightening were her eyes.

They were blood red.

My own eyes widened in horror, and I covered my mouth as I let out a shocked scream.

The woman immediately flinched, and her eyes shut in pain as she covered her ears. "Please, calm down!"

It took me another few seconds for my scream to fade into silence. When it had, I stared at her in terror, afraid of what she might do.

"Please calm down," the woman insisted once more. "It wouldn't be wise to work yourself up and run the risk of having a stroke! You cannot, and _will not,_" she added firmly, "die, at least not under my watch."

After taking some time to properly form my words, I confessed, "I think I am already dead."

Her blood red eyes bore into my own, until she suddenly let out a soft laugh, that didn't seem evil, but rather genuine. "Nonsense," she said once her joy had near faded, "You aren't dead."

"Then where am I, and who are you?" I demanded.

She did not answer me, but instead shook her head with a smile plastered on her face. "I believe I see why Master brought you here," she told me carefully. "You are naïve."

"Excuse me?" I gasped.

"I mean no offense, I merely comment upon what I see," she replied, very plain and simple- as if she had stated that the sky was blue or the grass was green. "Master must have had little trouble gaining your trust."

"You do not know me," I told her, not sure whether to be frightened or angry. "And who is this 'Master' of yours?"

There was something about this woman. She seemed rather reserved and shy, but honest (at least, honest to her own thoughts and opinions). She did not seem fearful of me, though I practically was of her, but she did not carry herself in a way that suggested that she thought of herself higher than me, as Aro most often did. Her red eyes looked at me in a way that someone would if they saw an exotic animal at a zoo, or perhaps a new movie. It was almost as if she had not seen another human… or been near one before. But that was simply ridiculous of me to think up such a bizarre thing.

Unexpectedly the door to my immediate left opened. I turned in alarm, and saw Aro entering the room. A shiver ran down my spine, and I flinched back, falling off the far right side of the bed. I fumbled to catch myself with my feet and not with my face.

But Aro did not give any impression that he had even noticed me.

"Renata," he called to the woman upon the couch.

The woman, who was apparently named Renata, smiled at him and stood. I realized that not only was she thin, but small in stature as well.

"Master," she greeted, and her voice was almost a sweet coo. But by the look upon her face, it did not seem odd to her in the slightest.

I watched Aro, to see how he would respond.

"Thank you, my dear," Aro told her, with a large smile, "for keeping an eye on the girl. Did anything eventful occur?"

Renata shrugged. She proceeded to walk up to Aro. He held out his hands, and I watched curiously. Renata placed one of her small hands into Aro's waiting ones, and both fell silent immediately.

I observed the two as they stood there, hand-in-hand for about a minute. I was so oblivious while I was pondering what they could possibly be doing that I jumped slightly when Aro dropped Renata's hand.

"Thank you again, sweet Renata," Aro all put purred admiringly to Renata, who watched him as she smiled humbly. "The afternoon tour has just arrived, and I see how even spending these few short hours with the girl has taken its toll upon you. Please, go and feed."

Aro stepped aside and cleared the doorway. Renata exited, but not before giving Aro a respectful nod. When she was out of sight, Aro calmly closed the door. He turned, and looked at me.

I did a double take when I realized that Aro's previously brown eyes had disappeared, leaving in their stead ones that matched the color of Renata's.

"I'm in hell," I whispered, near inaudible.

Aro chuckled. "It depends how you look at your situation. But yes, the negative view point could be easily perceived as something relatively close to what you are referring to as 'hell'. I myself live through a different form of everlasting anguish."

* * *

**Aro's POV**

The racing heartbeat of the trembling girl alerted me of how scared she truly was. _Be calm, _I told myself, _you do not want to frighten her into using her gift._

"Where am I?" she asked, her voice quavering, "What do you want with me?"

"One question at a time, my dear." Her heartbeat slowed the tiniest bit after I tried my best to sound calming and comforting, but it quickly sped back up. "You are in Italy."

"_Where _in Italy?" she demanded.

"It is not important at the present time," I replied, dismissing the question easily.

"What do you want with me then?" Lilith repeated.

"I want a lot of things from you," I confessed to her, and I watched in slight joy as her eyes widened in horror and fear. "But I also want you to want to give them to me."

She shook her head frantically, "But I don't have anything! I don't have any money, or any valuables, really!"

I sighed, but my smile did not falter. "I don't want any of your possessions," I told her, as I began to walk around the bed and come closer to her. She pushed herself back against the wall and eyed me suspiciously.

In an instant, she seemed to be struck with an idea. She reached into her jacket, and frowned.

I chuckled. "Looking for this?" I pulled out her knife from my own coat, and held it out for her to see. I found it shortly after bringing her into the room. I searched her person for anything that could be used to contact people in the outside world. I found the knife, and her MP3 player, which I took as well, for good measure.

Lilith frowned and bit her lip nervously; obviously losing hope after her plan had failed.

I slipped the knife back into my pocket and walked over so that I was standing in front of her, face to face. I leaned in slowly, watching as she shook ever so slightly, "What I want from you is your… _mortality_," I finished, after deciding the best word for the situation.

I leaned back to observe Lilith's reaction.

"I-Isn't your own mortality e-enough?" she asked innocently, and somewhat hopeful, nevertheless shaking.

I shook my head. "Oh, my dear… Do you truly believe that I am mortal?"

Lilith did not speak for several minutes. "If you are not, then I am surely dead," she answered carefully.

"Dead?" I questioned, amused by her innocence. "You are from it, Lilith, as long as you do as I ask."

"And if I do not?" Lilith challenged.

I frowned. "You should not think of such things. It is considered rude to be ungrateful to your host."

"I'm sorry I'm ungrateful for being kidnapped," she replied quietly.

That was the difference between Lilith's temper and Sulpicia's. While Sulpicia knew what she doing, she used her anger to both manipulate and convince her way onto my good side. Still, when confronted, Sulpicia never voiced her irate opinions to me. Lilith believed she was near death, and was still telling me what was on her mind without censoring or hesitation, and that pleased me greatly.

With a soft sigh, I backed away from Lilith. "Get some rest," I suggested, as I turned and walked away from her.

"… What?"

I stopped in mid step and turned to face her. "I suggest that you get some rest," I repeated. "You will need it."

"Why will I need it?"

"Your thoughts will be clearer when you awake," I promised her. With that, I opened the door and left the room. I closed the door behind me, and took special care to ensure that the door was locked.

* * *

An hour later, I decided to stop by Lilith's room. When I entered, I found her sleeping peacefully on the bed.

Seeing an opportunity, I picked up one of her warm hands in my own, and reveled in the thoughts which I had longed to know.

Presently, she was having a dream. In the dream, Marietta, looking the same as I had last seen her, scolded Lilith for leading a strange man to her house. With a smile, I recognized who this 'man' was. Marietta then called Lilith a 'freak' for using what Lilith called her _gift._

I hummed in satisfaction. _Yes, this girl is marvelous._ Quickly, I dropped her hand, as I was once more overcome with this strange desire to earn the girl's trust. Suddenly, I wanted Lilith and Lilith alone to tell me everything there is to be known about herself.

If she refused, I could always obtain the information myself. _Better give Lilith a chance to tell me herself first, _I decided.

I left the room once more.

* * *

It was several more hours before I decided to visit Lilith for the third time.

She awoke from her sleep with some muffled words. She lifted her head from the pillow, and hair fell in front of her face. Though I was evil and manipulative by nature, even I cannot deny a cute scene when I see one. I smiled. "What time is it?" she asked groggily.

"Near ten in the evening," I replied, as I took a seat on the couch facing the bed where Lilith laid.

Lilith froze at the sound of my voice. She opened her eyes fully and looked at me, half-fearful and half-surprised.

"… Have you come to let me go?" she asked meekly after a minute, avoiding my eyes.

"I'm afraid I cannot do that just yet," I replied sympathetically.

"Then can you at least humor me and tell me why I am here?"

"I already told you, my dear, you are here because you have something that I want," I told her simply. When she did not reply, but instead stared at me uneasily, I continued, "And I _will _get what I want, one way or another."

"If that is true, then why do you bother to speak to me like you are now? Why don't you take what you want from me, whatever it may be, and let me go, or kill me?" Lilith asked somberly.

I thought for a moment. "Even though I _will _get what I want, I would much rather have your cooperation than having to force you to do what I ask."

"And what exactly are you asking of me?" Lilith questioned.

"Right now," I told her, "I only ask for your trust."

Lilith scoffed. "My trust?" I nodded patiently. "I am sorry that I cannot give you my trust."

"And what will it take to earn that trust?"

She hesitated. "… You're serious, aren't you?"

"Completely."

To this, Lilith did not answer. After several long moments of silence, I said to her, "You are not a 'freak', you know."

As fast as lightning, her previously straying gaze locked with my own. "What did you just say?"

"I'm sure you know what I mean."

"… If I do, how did you know-"

"- I know what it is like to be… well, different, from the rest of humanity, Lilith," I told her calmly.

"Besides the freakishly red eyes- which, I would also like to ask for an explanation for- how could you possibly know how I feel?" Lilith questioned, disbelievingly.

I ignored her first question and answered the second. "I know of your _gift._"

"Good," she huffed angrily. "Then you must know how poorly I and everyone around me think of it!"

I shook my head at her inappropriate dismay. "Your gift is not a curse, no matter what anyone else- or yourself- may try to convince you to think."

"You do not know how it feels," she declared. With that statement, Lilith's guard fell immensely, allowing me to obtain what information I needed.

"Oh, I don't?" I questioned dumbly. "Do you think you are the only person who walks this earth who has a gift like your own?"

She shook her head, and replied, "No. I know of another."

_An interesting thought, _I pondered. _That will have to be investigated at another time, _I reminded myself. "Then is it so hard to believe that others may understand you more than you might originally believe?"

She stared at me with an unsure look. "Do you-"

"-Think of a number," I interrupted her quickly.

"… I beg your pardon?"

"Think of a number," I insisted. "Any one."

She hesitated, but finally closed her eyes in concentration. She opened them a second later and said, "Okay."

I stood from the couch and calmly walked over to the side of the bed where she sat. I held out a hand expectantly towards her. She gave me an uncertain looked, and I nodded my head towards my hand, emphasizing what I wanted. Cautiously, she slowly lifted her hand and placed it into my own.

I felt a smile tug at my lips as I said confidentially, "1,253,586."

She gasped and yanked her hand from my grasp. "How did you do that?!" she demanded, in awe as well as fear. Judging by her tone however, I could tell that she knew that I had basically read her mind, even though she was stunned by it.

I allowed myself a short victorious laugh. _I'm gaining her trust. Ah, Lilith, there is hope for you yet! _"Will you listen to me now?"

She nodded.

"You and I… we aren't very different," I told her, as I sat beside her on the bed. Her sly slight move away from me did not go unnoticed, but I pretended like it had. "We are unique. The only things that are different between our gifts are the core… _mechanics, _I assume," I laughed shortly at my lack of words, "of them."

She nodded in understanding.

"Will you tell me how you are able to do whatever it is that you do?"

She sighed, but finally looked me in the eyes. "It started… after a rather traumatizing 'event' that happened when I was young." She bit her lip as she struggled to recall her thoughts. "The first time it happened, I was 6. I lived in the Unites States. It was spring, and I had gone down to a creek in the nearby woods to see what flowers I could find so that I could give them to my mother, who was visiting from Italy at the time."

She paused briefly. "I was singing at the creek for a while… probably about 15 minutes or so, when my parents came walking out of the clearing of the trees and towards me, almost in a trance. It frightened me," she recalled with a bitter smirk. "I immediately stopped singing, and they immediately snapped out of it. They demanded to know what I had done, and I could not tell them, for I did not know myself.

After that, I started experimenting, to see if I could do it again. No matter where or when I did, whenever I started singing, people would fall into a trance and come to find me. A few years or so later, I started developing the opposite powers of my original 'gift', as you call it." She smiled half-genuinely at me. "Whenever my parents would confront me, if I concentrated hard enough, I would sing, and they would fall into that familiar trance, and walk away from me, and instantly leave me alone. They never remembered what had happened after words. But I always remembered what I had done, and I started to develop mischievous schemes because of it."

Just when I thought she had finished her tale, she inhaled deeply before adding quietly, "Lately, I've been able to sing and convince people to do what I want them to do, in some telepathical way… But I can only do this if I feel some strong emotion, like fear or anger. Over the years, I've been able to gain some control over it, for instance, my gift can affect a lot of people, or a lone person. Still, it frightens me. I'm becoming a monster."

… _That certainly explains a lot, _I concluded after several minutes of contemplation.

"Is that how you found me?" Lilith asked after a moment. "A few nights ago? Did you hear my singing? It was not my intention to bring attention to myself, believe me…"

I nodded.

"How did you hear me? No one in the choir below the balcony heard me, so how is it that you were able to when they could not?" she demanded, with a slightly accusing tone.

I stared at her patiently. "It will be explained to you, all in good time…" I promised. _I'm overjoyed that Lilith has shared this much with me… it is time to see what my brothers think of her._

"Lilith?" I asked, grabbing her attention. "Would you come with me for a few minutes?"

She sighed. "I do not see why you bother to ask- I'm a prisoner."

"You are only a prisoner if you wish to be," I told her honestly.

"Where are you going to take me?"

* * *

Lilith and I walked along the halls, arm in arm. Before we left, Lilith had asked for confirmation on what exactly my _gift _entailed, which I provided. She was now every so careful about her thoughts, as she knew I was reading them, but it mattered not- I could read every thought she ever had. Lucky for her, I wished to privilege her with some privacy, since she had been cooperative earlier.

_Simple steps like this, _I reminded myself, _and she will trust you. Fully. And that trust you will be able to use for your own benefit, whether it may be for malicious intent or genuine comfort. It is solely up to Lilith to decide whether or not she will play along with my game. It will be much easier if she does._

As we walked along the quiet halls that her footsteps echoed throughout, she chose not to speak to me vocally, but with her thoughts. I would reply out loud, of course, and this exchange would last for several minutes.

Through reading her thoughts, I could tell that I had not completely gained her trust. Still, a lot of progress had been made in a very short amount of time.

The doors the throne room were open. Santiago and Felix stood guard, as usual. They both looked at me in bewilderment as I entered the room, with Lilith on my arm.

* * *

**Lilith's POV**

Aro lead me into a large room that was guarded by two men, each with red eyes and pale skin like Aro's and Renata's. I struggled to keep my nerves under control, I looked past them and into the large open room. The ceiling was very tall- at least two stories. Ancient statues decorated the circular room, which would have be completely illuminated by natural light from the large windows above, had it not been night. Instead, lit candles alone the wall shone dully yet persistently.

Across the entrance, in the far back of the room parallel with Aro and I, three magnificently and intimidating thrones sat upon a platform that was separated from the common floor level by several steps.

The throne in the middle was unoccupied.

On the throne on the right, young a man, with pale skin and hair, and unsurprisingly red eyes, sat, staring neither angrily or friendly at Aro and I as we entered. He was dressed very well, and his attire was similar to Aro's.

Behind him, to his right, a woman stood, dressed in a dark purple knee-length dress accompanied by a pair of matching heels. She had blonde hair as well, that was fashioned in an elegant updo. Her gaze appeared to be thoughtful upon Aro and I.

On the left side of the platform, on the furthermost left throne, another man sat. He had dark hair, red eyes, and was dressed well. However, though he seemed to notice Aro and I, he seemed to be… well, bored. I looked at him carefully, and wondered why he had such a depressed and uninterested look upon his face.

Two smaller, pale skinned figures that stood on the main floor off to the left of the platform drew my attention away from the bored man. Their red eyes looked at me neutrally, leaving me slightly uncomfortable. The taller one was a boy with dark hair. The other was a slightly shorter girl with blonde hair. They were both dressed similar to the two men who were guarding the doorway.

"Ah, brothers!" Aro greeted the two men sitting on the thrones cheerfully. He carefully removed his arm from my own and walked over to them, stopping before the steps. I remained standing at my spot at about half the room's distance from the group.

"Who is this, Aro?" the man with brown haired asked in reply to Aro's greeting. His voice sounded as gloomy as his expression looked.

"This, dear Marcus, is Lilith," Aro replied, looking back at me. "She is a human that I have chosen to help us achieve our revenge." His eyes did not leave my own.

"Is she now?" the blonde hair man questioned. His red eyes grazed over me, and I stood still, wanting to smack him in the face for his impudent boldness. "She looks nothing out of the ordinary. Aro, I am not in any way questioning our goal, only the means by which you plan achieve it."

Aro quickly shot him an indifferent look. It was clear that they were discussing something that I was not fortunate enough to know about. Aro shook his head in disproval. "Caius, there is more to this girl that meets the eye. For example, when I first met her, I planned on having her as a midnight snack. But she did something that made me think twice." Aro turned around to face me once more, and held out a hand that I was expected to take. "Lilith, my dear?"

After a quick breath and that ol' thought of 'here goes nothing!', I slowly walked towards Aro. My gaze switched constantly between the individuals collected around the platform. When I reached Aro, I hesitantly placed my hand in Aro's.

"Fear not," Aro told me in a low tone. "As long as you do what they ask, no immediate harm shall come to you."

_No _immediate _harm?! What is that supposed to mean?_

Aro turned to face his 'brothers'. "Lilith here is able to do something that greatly resembles a succubus from Greek mythology."

"A siren?" Marcus suggested, translating Aro's technical words into common terms.

Aro nodded.

Caius raised an eyebrow. "If she has the capabilities that a siren would possess, is she able to demonstrate?"

I swallowed nervously.

"Of course, Caius," Aro answered gleefully. "I'm sure Lilith would be delighted to show you her talents." Aro looked towards me expectantly.

I shook my head knowingly at Aro. _I can't do it. I do not know how to control my gift,_ I thought to him.

Aro tsked me. "Now, Lilith."

… _How am I supposed to show what I can do?_

"Whatever comes to your mind."

_What if I can't do it?_

"You will never know unless you try," Aro answered, and by his voice I could tell he was beginning to lose his patience.

Not wanting to lose his favor, I nodded quickly, and tried to focus. After a minute, I sighed. "It is hard to concentrate," I said quietly.

Marcus, the two teens, and the woman behind Caius simply watched me with unblinking red eyes. Caius, on the other hand, stood up. "And why is it that you cannot concentrate?"

_Is that a rhetorical question?_

"It is difficult for her to control her gift at the moment," Aro informed him, refusing to look at me. "It can only be manifested through strong emotions."

"Like fear?" Caius asked.

I did not answer, as I did not know to whom Caius was speaking to.

"Well?" Caius bellowed.

"Yes," I replied quickly.

Caius sighed in frustration. "Brother, are you _positive _this is whom you choose? How do you know that she even has gifts to be shown?"

Aro rolled his eyes in humor. "Please, do not insult me. Lilith has gifts- she has used them on me."

Caius narrowed his eyes in thought. "Perhaps is she is provoked, she will be able to show us what she can do?"

Aro nodded in approval.

"I will walk slowly towards you," Caius told me in a warning tone. "And if I happen to reach you before you are able to show us what exactly it is that you can do, I will kill you." He looked at Aro.

Aro said nothing.

Feeling betrayed and immensely scared, I nodded nervously.

Caius took a first step towards me, and I closed my eyes in concentration. I began singing, quietly but surely, and concentrated every fiber in my being on stopping Caius.

When I felt confident, I opened my eyes, though I continued to sing a wordless tune.

Caius had frozen. He stared at me, wide-eyed and clearly in a trance. I took a brief second to look at the others in the room, who were staring at me in complete amazement and curiosity. It was apparent that Caius had a strong will and was very serious, as the rest of the inhabitants of the room found it bewildering that he would stop in his determined mind-set to kill me so suddenly.

At first, I wasn't sure what I would tell Caius to do. Then, I thought of a humorous idea.

As I continued to sing, Caius turned around, remaining speechless, and walked over to the woman behind the throne. Once he stopped in front of her, he abruptly reached out and placed on hand on her waist, the other grasped her hand. He twirled her around the platform in a waltz, weaving in and out of the thrones.

Marcus looked at them for a moment, before the corners of his lips curved upward into a smile, and he laughed.

This seemed to shock everyone in the room. All eyes went upon Marcus, as if they had never heard him laugh. As Marcus continued in his fit of gentle laughter, everyone else could no longer stifle their smiles and laughter. Soon, the room echoed with sounds of laughter.

I looked at Aro from the corner of my eye, and saw that he was smiling at me appreciatively. I tried not to blush as I looked away once more.

Caius waltzed with the woman with a few more moments. She looked frazzled and shocked at Caius' behavior, but went along with it. Caius twirled her one last time and then dipped her.

"That will be enough, Lilith," Aro said gently, humor evident in his tone.

I stopped singing, and Caius blinked out of his trance. He frowned, and looked at the woman that he held confusedly. Once he recalled what had happened- which, I found odd, as my parents never remembered, but both Aro and Caius have for some reason- he turned to looked at me quickly. He stood the woman up right and walked over in front of me, though he did not descend the stairs from the platform.

"Well, Caius?"

Caius stared me down, as if wondering how I had done such a thing. "I do not understand," he mumbled to himself as he relented and sat back down in his throne.

"Now, the final question," Aro announced, "What do you say to Lilith staying with us?"

_There go my hopes of freedom._ _I just unknowingly sealed my own fate!_

Marcus, whose laughter had now faded almost as quickly as it had come, still wore a small smile. "I know you will do what you wish to do ultimately, Aro. I can only hope that you pay heed to what I told you the other day."

Aro nodded to Marcus' concern that was unknown to me.

"Caius?" Aro asked.

"… I refuse to say anything that would incline or disincline you," Caius cryptically said.

"Excellent!" Aro laughed, clapping his hands together once and rubbing them together quickly in what I could only describe as child-like joy. "Well, I will escort Lilith back to her room, where she will rest. Who knows what possibilities tomorrow may bring!"

With that, Aro grabbed me gracefully by the arm and led me towards the door. I could feel all eyes on the back of my head.

"Aro?" I whispered to him.

He glanced down at me, but did not speak.

"What happens now?" I asked him nervously as we passed the guards standing by the door and walked underneath the doorway.

"That depends solely on you," Aro replied.

'_Who knows what possibilities tomorrow may bring!'_

* * *

**~BTW, in case it was confusing, the woman whom Caius was dancing with is Athenodora, his wife.**

**~Feedback is always welcome :)**

**~BTW, may have a poll soon. You may or may not be able to guess what it will be about yet, but just letting ya know!**

***** Next chapter will be up next Thursday Evening/Friday Morning *****


	6. Imprisonment

**Woo! Fall Out Boy is back!**  
**... Nobody else is excited?... Just me? ... mmmkay. :)**

**ANYWAYS, new chapter! I was kind out of inspiration for this one at the beginning, but I finally picked it back up by the end. Next chapter will be probably harder to write, as I have the main plot settled and (basically) set in stone. It is the filler-parts where I go blank O.o**

**Thank you guys for reviewing, it really does help a lot with inspiring me to write! (So, if you want a new chapter every week to continue... you probably see where I am going.)**

***** If you do not know who Didyme is, I would suggest that you look her up and at least learn the general information about her. It will help in later chapters.*****

**Enjoy! :)**

* * *

**Lilith's POV**

I spent the next three days alone. No one entered my room, and a lock outside of the door forbade me from leaving. The door that once led to an unknown destination was recently revealed as leading to a bathroom.

At least, I _think _it was three days. It was hard to tell, for there wasn't any sort of clock in the room that I've come to know as my 'prison cell'.

Aro took be back to my room after I met those strange, red-eyed people, including the two men he referred to as his 'brothers'. _I'm pretty sure Aro is involved with some sort of demonic cult, _I decided afterwards. After Aro left me to be by myself, I decided to get some more sleep, for if an opportunity of escape occurred, I'd most likely need the energy.

When I awoke next, I drew back the curtains that covered the window in the room. To my dismay, I had found nothing but a beautiful (though I hated to admit it) view of the countryside, which appeared to continue for miles. This increased my worries, as the Robersons and Marietta lived only a few minutes from the coastline.

Now, going on day three (based purely on what I could observe of the sunrises and sunsets, I had not seen another living soul.

Being alone could be perceived as a blessing. But to me, it is a curse. I spent the days dwelling in my own thoughts and fear of what was awaiting me.

I also worried about those who would miss my presence, such as the Robersons, and Marietta, eventually, and my friends back in the United States, who would start to worry if I was not heard from.

I sighed in frustration, turned away from looking longingly out of the window, and plopped myself down on the couch below it.

* * *

**Aro's POV**

"But the question remains- what do you plan to do with her now?" Caius paused, before adding, "I would hope that the girl is reprimanded for embarrassing me."

I sighed thoughtfully, wishing I could have put off this discussion for one more day.

Caius and I were in the middle of a discussion concerning Lilith. Marcus was in the main study, keeping to himself and out of the way, as he usually does, while Caius and I have our 'political' discussions. While Caius and I discussed the main topic of the week in the throne room, Jane, Alec, Athenodora, and Renata kept us company, ready to serve us if needed.

Caius watched me with an irritable look planted on his face, while sitting on his throne. Athenodora stood by his side, petting his hair slowly but surely in a vain attempt to soothe him. Unfortunately, her efforts did little to lighten his darkened mood.

"This shall be the most difficult part of the plan," I decided aloud. I was standing in front of a table off to the right of the heightened platform, with several light reading books lying open upon it.

"I thought you had thought every aspect of the plan through?" Caius asked innocently enough.

I was mindful of the others in the room, who did not know of the plan I had devised with my brothers. They also had yet to be informed as to why the human girl was being treated as a guest and not a meal. "Yes, I did. But even while I was contemplating, I knew that the most difficult part would be during the time which has fallen upon us now."

I closed a book I was briefly scanning over and moved onto another one. "And what about you, Caius- how have your recent efforts to implement the plan been going?"

Athenodora gave Caius a curious look, but said nothing. Caius looked uncertainly at her for a quick moment before answering, "I believe I may have found one who will help me accomplish my part of this scheme, but further researching is needed."

I chuckled in satisfaction. "Excellent."

I briefly caught Athenodora's inquisitive gaze. She obviously wanted to know what had occupied so much of her husband's time these past few days, like Sulpicia, but she knew her place and also knew better than to ask.

"My dears," I spoke to Jane, Alec, Athenodora, and Renata, "Could you leave us, if only for a few minutes?"

All four moved to obey my request. With one last hesitant glance towards her husband, Athenodora shut the stone doors behind her.

"To answer your original question, Caius," I said then, redirecting his attention from Athenodora to myself, "The girl will stay here until I have taken what I want from her."

"Which would be your hybrid child, then?" Caius supplied.

I nodded patiently. "Yes."

Caius frowned, "And what would happen if this girl died delivering this hybrid?"

I shrugged, "It would be a shame, truly… the girl's _gifts_ offer so much potential."

Caius grunted. "I've been meaning to discuss that with you."

I looked at him then.

"That girl completely and unashamedly embarrassed me in front of the guard!" Caius all but growled.

I nodded, "I agree, perhaps what Lilith demonstrated was a bit too comical…"

"A bit? The guards laughed at me as if I was a common street performer!"

I shook my head disapprovingly, though I had a smile tugging at the corners of my lips. "Don't worry, dear Caius- the girl will be punished, rest assured."

Caius closed his mouth, and visibly relaxed. "Very well, Aro. Though I was wondering, about this human that _I _found that could possible enable me to hold up my end of the agreement…"

I noticed what he was hinting at. "I could have my 'friend' and business associate send over some files right away, if you wish."

Caius nodded. "That would be much appreciated."

I sighed. "I suppose it would not be fair of me to enforce Marcus to partake in our plan?"

Caius shrugged hesitantly. "He will be forced to listen to reason if that is your wish."

For a split second, I actually thought about the idea- but then I shook my head firmly. "No. Three hybrids are not a necessity. Even if we have two of these half-immortal and half-mortal beings, one from you, and one from me, we will already outnumber the Cullens."

With that, I turned on my heels and left the room, ignoring the faintest twinge of guilt I felt.

* * *

**Lilith's POV**

I found myself staring out the window once more. _If only I could be out there… _I thought with a muted sigh.

"Staring out the window will not grant you escape."

I jumped and turned around, and immediately spotted Renata walking through the doorway, a tray with food in her hands. She kicked the door shut behind her and walked over to the bed, where she sat the tray down. Then she looked at me once more. "I believe I may have done the same thing once, but that was many years ago."

I said nothing.

"I suggest you eat," she said then. "And Master-"

"-Who is 'Master'?" I interrupted her, my curiosity ruining my pathetic attempt at 'the silent game'.

"Oh, I suppose you would not know. It is Aro."

Surprisingly, I was not shocked by her answer. "Well, since you are the only person whom I have seen for several days," I started, "Perhaps you could answer a few of my questions."

Renata hummed thoughtfully. "I suppose, as long as the questions are harmless."

"What day is it?"

"The fourth of January."

"What time is it?"

"1:28 in the afternoon."

"What is the forecast?"

"… Partly sunny?"

"What country are we in?"

"Italy."

"What kind of creatures are you and where the hell am I?"

"Nice try."

I cursed.

Renata shook my head at my attempt. "It is not my place to answer these questions you have."

I cursed again.

"Now, back to what I was saying previously," Renata continued, "Mas- … _Aro, _has told me to inform you that he will be visiting you soon."

"How soon?" I asked nervously.

"He did not say," Renata answered. She turned and exited out the door.

With a hope-crushing click, the door locked shut.

* * *

**Aro's POV**

Renata closed the door, and locked it.

"How is she?" I asked her.

She turned to look at me. "She's been staring out the window a lot, it seems."

I thought of Caius' earlier suggestion of punishment. It was true- the girl needed to be told once and for all that she would not be leaving Volterra alive. _Lilith will have to be taught her place… but hopefully it is nothing that a little 'reward system' cannot teach._

"The girl is also very curious and wishes to know the reason for her captivity," Renata added.

I half-smiled. "As you are yourself, I'd imagine?" I suggested knowingly.

Renata's head lowered, and she avoided my eyes. "It is not my place, Master," she whispered reverently.

"Do not fear me, my dear," I told her softly, placing a gentle hand under her chin and tilting her head upwards. "You shall know soon enough, and you will be rewarded for taking her meals to her."

"I only do as you ask, Master," Renata replied quickly.

I dropped my hand. "Nonetheless, you will be repaid when I think of a proper sign of gratitude. In the meantime, could you continue to watch over the girl? Now that she is fully aware of the extent of her '_imprisonment'_," I chuckled, "she may wish to have another person to talk to, when I am too busy to do so myself. I am concerned about her mental health if she were to live in solitude for too many days."

* * *

**Lilith's POV**

I drew the curtains closed.

_I'd rather sleep then worry about Aro, _I thought depressingly. I turned then, and walked over to the bed. I lay down, making sure that I was in a position facing the door, incase Aro decided to 'drop by' while I was sleeping. _No need to be caught unaware, _I reminded myself.

…_**ZzzzZzzzZzzzZzzzZ…**_

… _Something's wrong, _I thought skeptically to myself when I awoke several hours later. I sat up quickly, and my eyes scanned the room. _No one is here…_

I tossed my legs over the side of the bed and stood up. I walked over to the window and carefully drew back the curtain-

And frowned.

The beautiful, picturesque scene that I had once been fortunate enough to view was gone. A board, covering the entire window from the outside, had been nailed to the outer wall and consequently blocked any form of natural light from entering the room. The lone, single positive aspect of being held at this strange place against my own will was gone.

A knock on the door broke me out of my dismay.

* * *

**Aro's POV**

I knocked on the door to Lilith's current accommodations.

It was silent. I knocked again. A second later, I heard ruffling noises coming from the inside.

"… Who is it?" a feeble voice called from inside.

Smiling to myself like a madman, I opened the door and entered the room without a second thought.

Lilith was standing by the window. It was apparent that she had noticed the punishment that I had initiated.

"Miss the view?" I teased her, shutting the door behind me.

Lilith said nothing, but instead chose to stare at me with wide, frightened blue eyes. "I-I did w-what you asked… I thought-"

"That my brother would not be angered by what you caused him to do?" I suggested loudly and angrily, knowing that I was frightening her. _Fear is good. Fear is my friend. Fear can convince the inconvincible to obey my commands, _I mused to myself.

"B-but you said… Y-you laughed!" Lilith fumbled with her words.

"I know what I said," I replied, my voice sounding much calmer. I sighed, and took several, slow, deliberate steps towards her. "Unfortunately, my brother did not find your act humorous like myself and the others did."

She hesitated before saying, "I did not know he was your brother. There are a lot of things I do not know, and most of the questions I have can be answered by you alone."

I looked her in the eyes, wishing my gift could be used telepathically. "I am here now," I told her, "Ask."

"… What are you?"

I was forced to restrain myself from rolling my eyes. I held out an arm for her to take. "How about we go for a walk?"

* * *

"They call us _figli della notte," _I told Lilith, who was eagerly listening, "In English, it roughly means, 'children of the night'."

Lilith's grip on my arm faltered slightly. I was escorting her in a very formal matter along the halls of my beloved home, and was trying to explain what I could to her, without letting her know more than what was necessary at the present. Though I could read her thoughts in an instant, I chose not to- only seeing through her mind for brief moments every now and then.

"… What if I say I do not believe in myths like the one you describe?" Lilith whispered, looking straight ahead as we walked, and avoiding my gaze.

"I would suggest you learn," I answered. "Because, if you do not… I would be afraid I'd have to prove that I speak nothing but the truth by demonstrating, and that could get a little… _messy," _I finished thoughtfully.

She visibly gulped. "Why are you telling me this?"

I looked at her, slightly surprised. "Well, my dear…" -Her thoughts informed me that she rather enjoyed when I addressed her as such- "If you are to stay here, you might as well be properly informed."

She stopped walking, and I had no choice but to do the same.

"You intend to keep me here, then?" Lilith asked somberly, her voice barely above a whisper.

I sighed, and released her grip on my arm. As her arm fell, I grabbed her hand. "Unfortunately, yes."

Her face fell, and I was once again surprised. _Did she truly believe that I would allow her to leave? _Then I felt a feeling that I felt several hours ago… guilt.

_But you should not feel guilty! _I reminded myself sternly. _Your greatest concern is yourself. Once you achieve stability for yourself, then- and _only _then- can you even acknowledge others' needs._

"Eventually, I will tell you to the full extent your reason for being here. In the mean time, I can only hope you choose to accept your fate, and learn to enjoy yourself."

Lilith stared at me, obviously offended. "_Enjoy myself?!"_

I nodded patiently.

"I'm being held captive against my will! You've given me nothing to be thankful for!"

"Nothing to be thankful for?" I demanded, raising an eyebrow. "If I wanted to, I could have killed you the moment I first saw you. I would think that would be considered a blessing."

"I wish you had killed me, rather than forcing me to be a prisoner!" Lilith shrieked, yanking her hand away from my own.

I shook my head. "Do not say such a thing…" I warned her, as I leaned forward towards her right ear and whispered, my voice low and even, "It tempts me terribly."

She jerked away from me. After watching me for several tense moments to ensure that I did not move, she whispered, "Please… kill me and put me out of my suffering."

I looked at her trembling form with pity. "Lilith, you are only suffering due to your own accord."

"I beg your pardon?"

"If you would do as I ask, then I guarantee you would come to love this place, and my people who live here, greatly," I told her softly.

"How can I trust you? I can see it in your eyes- somehow, some way, you will use me to satisfy your own means. How am I supposed to do as you say when at the end of the day, we are each seeking the best outcome for ourselves?" Lilith asked quietly.

I thought over her shockingly meaningful words. "I will tell you this and this alone, for now: my 'family', meaning the other _vampires_," –Lilith cringed at the word- "who live here with me, are in a large dispute with another group of my kind, and I must do what is best for my coven. I _have _to defeat this other coven," I explained. "You will help me to do this."

"If you tell me what it is that you ask of me, perhaps I'd be more willing to oblige," Lilith said sarcastically.

I looked at her square in the eyes. "Alright. If you want to know, you shall know," I told her, annoyed. "Did you know that it is possible for immortals, not unlike myself, to breed with mortals?"

She said nothing. _Of course she doesn't know, I've only just told her that I am what she has believed was a myth!_

"This other coven I speak of has an offspring of a vampire and human," I continued. "And this particular child has an extraordinary gift, a gift of the sort which you yourself possess."

Lilith nodded slowly, signaling she was following so far.

"The only way for me to eliminate this coven is to recruit more immortals with gifts, and," I added, carefully, watching Lilith's expression, "to obtain some immortal and human hybrids for myself."

Lilith's expression was blank for several moments. Upon her realization, however, her face twisted into one of pure horror. She threw her back against the stone wall, and trembled. "You cannot mean-"

I said nothing.

She watched me apprehensively, before asking, with more courage than what I would expect from a human, "… If you do not wish to force me to obey your command, than how do you expect me to comply?"

_Ah, a bargain. Interesting, indeed. Fortunately, this can work for my favor. _"If you provide me with a hybrid child, and you survive, though I will not hesitate to inform you of the unlikely hood of this, I will grant you immortality."

"And what if I do not want immortality?"

I hadn't expected that. "… Then I shall grant you the freedom of death."

Lilith fell quiet.

"You have two options," I said, "You can disagree, and I will be forced to deal with you, making your stay here very, _very, _unpleasant, or, you can agree, and be treated with the upmost care."

Lilith would not say a single word.

"If you repeat this to anyone," I said then, lowering my voice greatly so that only she, and no one passing by, could hear. "I will deny it and be forced to be rid of you. But, my wife has lost my interest. I am willing to overlook this whole scene we share now, and move on from it."

"Even if I agree," Lilith snarled, "You cannot expect me to become your new…your new… _plaything!"_

"And I would never expect that of you. That would only work if you choose to do so willingly."

"Then you may dream on."

I smiled, though it was humorless. "What say you, then?"

I looked into her eyes as she considered all that I had offered her. "I see no harm," she started, "in foolishly wishing for death, as that is the best outcome that I can perceive at this moment." She sighed. "… You promise that you will grant me death, or immortality, after I've done as you asked, whatever my wish may be?"

"On pain of death."

She did not find my humor amusing. "Let me state this now- I do _not _trust you," she grumbled. "But, seeing as I have no choice... I _have _to trust in what you just promised me."

"Is that a yes?" I asked expectantly.

She nodded.

I had to keep my excitement contained, as I did not want to frighten her any more. "Thank you, my dear. Soon you will see that this truly is for the best. But, in the meantime, you will learn all that you will need to know to adapt to living amongst us."

"Like what?"

"You will learn your place, for one," I told her seriously. "You will learn to respect those above you- which is basically everyone here, save for the few mortals who do our bidding… who, by the way, you are not to speak to under any circumstance, unless I personally give you permission. Now that I think of it… there are many, _many, _rules in which you will have to learn to follow. Too many to recall presently, however," I babbled. "Basically, you will be punished for acting incorrectly, and rewarded for behaving well."

Lilith looked at me confusedly, obviously not sure what to make of me.

I held out my hand towards her. "I know you do not trust me yet, though I personally believe that you will come to do so. Nevertheless, shall we continue our lovely tour? I promise to speak no more of the topic for the rest of the day."

Lilith hesitated, but finally relented. She placed her hand in my own, and we continued our walk.

_I've done it, _I thought evilly. _Lilith has begun to trust me. Time will take its course, and soon I will be one step closer to achieving my vendetta… and possibly, I will have gained another, more faithful, mate. _I quickly dismissed the last thought from my mind. _But if push comes to shove, I will do what is best for myself first and foremost. After all, the mortal world from which Lilith comes from is full of savages… and why shouldn't the immortal world of my own be the same?_

I was pulled out of my thoughts by shouting, coming from the far end of the hallway.

"Where is he, Renata?"

"Master requested to be left alone!"

"Oh, shut up! Tell me where my husband is, now!"

Lilith's thoughts changed from bittersweet contentment to concern.

"There he is!"

Sulpicia spotted me and Lilith, and frowned. She made her way towards us quickly, her long dress flowing behind her in a rage similar to that of her facial features. Renata trailed behind her mistress with a worried look sewn across her pale face.

When Sulpicia stopped before us, she glanced disgustedly at Lilith. "I suppose this is what has kept you busy these past two weeks? Have you gone and obtained another pet?" Sulpicia demanded angrily, obviously forgetting that she stood on thin ice.

Lilith frowned at the word 'pet'.

"Darling-"

"Don't you 'darling' me!"

I sighed. "Renata, dear?"

Renata fearfully tore her gaze from Sulpicia to me instead. "Yes?"

"Take Lilith back to her room," I told her.

Renata nodded and gently grabbed Lilith by the arm, before leading her away.

"From now on, she will be under your charge," I informed her as they walked away. Renata wore a slight smile, clearly pleased that I had personally charged herover anyone else with this task, while Lilith wore a look of confusion and slight fear.

Once the two were out of earshot, I turned to Sulpicia.

Biting my tongue, I said, trying my best to sound comforting, "I am sorry, my dear. Yes, I have been spending time with the human. But, it is not as you think. I have neglected you these past few days, haven't I?"

Sulpicia pouted, and nodded.

"Awww," I said, pouting slightly myself. I leant in close to her, and our lips were barely inches apart. "Perhaps I can fix that now…" I purred suggestively.

Sulpicia smiled, and leaned in to close the distance between us.

But I jerked myself backwards just in time. "Unfortunately, I have something of immediate importance to inform Caius about." With a cheerful smile, I stepped around her and headed in the direction of the throne room, where Caius would undoubtedly still be.

"Have a good day, my dear!" I called behind to Sulpicia, who was glaring at my back angrily.

* * *

***I apologize for this Sulpicia-bashing.**

***I used google translate for the Italian that Aro speaks, so if you speak Italian and that is not right, I am sorry! O.o I only know English and (very) basic French.**

***Again, if you do not know who Didyme is, take 2/3 minutes and look her up soon! :)**

***Feedback is like popcorn: it is awesome and makes me happy :) (BTW, you can diss my corny attempt at getting feedback by leaving a review!)**


	7. Athenodora

**Happy Valentine's Day! :) I was spoiled last year, as I actually **_**had **_**a boyfriend… but, you know, being single ain't that bad! For one, I found it difficult to write stories like this when I was with my ex… but maybe that just makes me strange O.o ANYWHO, I hope you all had a good day. I kind of wish that I was further along the timeline with this story, so that I could write a more 'romantic' chapter… but, all in due time.**

**To those who reviewed, thank you! One day (when I am not rushing to edit this) I will reply to your reviews. Gosh… that makes me sound awful. But I really **_**do **_**appreciate it.**

**Sorry for the short(er) chapter. I hope you enjoy it none the less :)**

* * *

**Lilith's POV**

Renata ushered me into the room that I have spent the past several days occupying and shut the door behind herself quickly.

"… Is something wrong?" I asked her a moment later.

Renata hesitated, her eyes scanning the room back and forth. Then, she let out a forced sigh. "I suppose not."

"Who was that?" I demanded.

"Who?" Renata asked, sounding distracted.

"The woman that was with Aro!"

"Mistress," Renata answered plainly, stepping around me and walking towards the wardrobe on the other side of the room.

I furrowed my brows together in concentration. "… If Aro is 'Master' to you, then 'Mistress' would be-"

"-his wife," Renata finished plainly, having opened the wardrobe doors and begun digging through the contents within.

I frowned. _That little-! His wife? _He _had _mentioned something just minutes earlier, but something caused my blood to boil at the thought knowing him these few days and being unaware of his supposed spouse.

Renata found what she was looking for and closed the wardrobe doors. With folded clothes in her hands, she walked back across the room and opened the door to the bathroom. She gestured for me to enter it as she held it open.

I walked over to her and through the doorway, confused as to what she was doing. "What is going on?"

Renata smiled lightly. "Now that Master has deemed me entirely responsible for your well-being, I can only assume that means that you will be staying with for a while… correction- for a meaningful length of time."

She entered the room behind me and proceeded to walk over to the counter, where she set down the folded clothes before proceeding to check her appearance humorously via the large glass mirror on the wall behind the counter. "That being said," she continued, "It bestows upon me the power to be frank with you. And to be frank, you are starting to reek."

I blushed, and not in a good way. "… Well I'm sorry that all my time as been taken up by playing the depressed captive!"

"Oh, I suppose that is true. Perhaps you should stop playing that role altogether? It gets rather boring to watch, you see," Renata explained matter-of-factly.

I scoffed. "Yes, because you would be an expert judge on the situation."

Renata did not reply. Instead, she turned around and gave me an expectant look. "Well, are you going to clean up, or not?"

Raising and eyebrow, I scanned the bathroom, and found both a shower and bathtub along the wall opposite of the door. "With you in here?"

Renata hesitated. "I don't _want _to be in here… But I have to ensure your safety at all times."

"Unless something is going to come and drag me down into the drain, I think I'll manage," I told her sarcastically.

"No, it is nothing like that," Renata said, dismissing my childish comments. "I have to ensure that you do not cause yourself harm."

"Oh," I mumbled, at a slight loss for words.

Renata hesitated, "But… I see nothing in here that you can use to cause yourself harm in the near future." She nodded to herself, before adding, "But if Master hears of this, it will be trouble for me."

"You have my word; he will never learn of it," I promised eagerly.

She gave me an uneasy smile before proceeding to leave the room. When the door shut with a _click_, I breathed a sigh of relief, and started to do what I had been asked.

* * *

**Aro's POV**

"… And you are sure that this is truly for the best?" Caius questioned skeptically.

I frowned at him, "Are you questioning my judgment?"

Caius shook his head quickly. "Not at all. I was merely reassuring myself that you had not lost your mind."

I chuckled. "Not yet."

"… Will you be making the announcement, then?"

"Oh," I gasped, and then I smiled. "I'd almost forgotten."

As I sat on my throne, with Caius sitting on his own to the left, and Marcus to the right, I smiled pleasantly at the entire guard (with the exception of a few recent recruits) as they observed the three of us thoughtfully. The room was filled to the maximum occupancy, and several guards stood lingering in the doorway. A few light, quiet whispers floated through the air, but all eyes were upon Marcus, Caius, and I. From my viewpoint, I noticed Jane and Alec off to the left, and perhaps Demetri in the back. However, those were the only faces that I could place names with at the present. Renata was also not present, as she was attending to Lilith.

The humans that also worked for us (the secretary, a recently hired chef, several maids, etc.) stood off to the far right all huddled into a single group. Though they did their best to ensure that they looked fearless to the red eyes that looked upon them- some menacingly, some hungrily- it was oblivious to all that the humans wished to be someplace else.

Caius wore a look of authority that he wore so well. Marcus looked upon the crowd, but almost seemed to look _through _them as if they weren't there. Athenodora was in her usual spot- standing supportively behind Caius. Sulpicia- much to my distaste- had angrily followed me to the throne room, and was currently standing to my immediate right, with what seemed to be a permanent scowl etched into her face.

I stood up, and extended my hands outwards welcomingly. "My beloved family," I cheerfully greeted them all. "Thank you for taking time away from your previously assigned tasks to meet here." _As if they had a choice._ "I have called you here to make a very important announcement."

The whispers ceased.

I continued, "From this point on, there will be a human staying with us. The details as to why she is here will not be revealed until a later date."

The guard shot each other inquisitive looks.

"She is _not,_" I emphasized, "Under _any _circumstances to be harmed, by any one of you. Should this occur, it will result in immediate death for the wrongdoer. And," I added, more softly, "it would _truly_ be a shame to lose any one of you, for you all are unique and special to Marcus, Caius, and I. Volterra would simply not be the same without you."

The guards' expressions changed from confusion to contentment.

"That is all. Thank you; you are dismissed."

The guards immediately started to disperse from the throne room. When most of them were gone, Athenodora stepped down the platform stairs and followed the last few out.

* * *

**Lilith's POV**

"There… you look a lot better!"

I wrung out the last of the water from my still damp hair that hung in my face. I flipped it back, and then I looked down at my own clothes and asked carefully, "How did you get _my _clothes?"

"Master has his ways," Renata answered cryptically.

My jaw-dropped in shock. My clothes had been at the Roberson's house. _Did something happen?!_

My fearful worries were broken by a sharp knock upon the door.

Renata crossed the room purposefully and opened the door. A blond woman, who was both petit and pretty, entered the room, and Renata closed the door behind her.

I looked at the woman, and quickly became confused.

"You are the girl Aro has been talking about, I presume?" she asked, her voice light and good-natured.

I nodded cautiously.

The woman's red eyes looked me up and down for a brief second. "… Yes," she said to herself then, tilting her head thoughtfully, "I do believe I recognize you now from the other night."

I looked at her for a minute longer before I realized that this was the woman whom I had seen the other night… and the one that I had inadvertently made Caius dance with.

As if the woman read my thoughts, she quickly said, "Unlike another, and I assume you know of whom I speak, I was not offended by your… uh, _actions,_ the other night."

"… I see," I added, still wary of the unfamiliar woman.

The woman then turned to Renata and said, "Not much of a talker, is she?"

I shot the woman a disbelieving look as Renata shrugged. "I am when I wish to be," I snapped, sounding more defensive than I wished.

The woman smiled, and I was confused as to whether or not she was mocking me. "Ah, there's a fighter!" she praised, laughing lightly. "Now I see partially why Aro has decided to keep you around."

I grimaced. "He told you?" I asked fearfully, knowing that if Aro had told others, it would mean that he was quite serious about keeping me prisoner.

The woman nodded. "Yes, and he informed the entire guard."

"The 'guard'?" I asked, dumb-founded.

The woman nodded, "Yes. We have a lot to talk about, it seems. It is now half-past eight- surely you must be hungry. If you come with me, I can show you where the kitchens are."

I hesitated. "I'm sorry… I don't know if Aro would like me to leave without him knowing where I was," I told her lamely.

Renata gasped. "Do you know who you're speaking to?" she demanded, glaring at me angrily. "This is Athenodora, Master Caius' wife!" Renata frantically turned to Athenodora. "I am so sorry, Mistress-"

Athenodora raised a hand to stop her. "Peace, Renata. I can tell that girl meant no harm by her statement, and her worries are genuine."

Renata seemed to calm down, but she still looked slightly frazzled.

Athenodora continued, turning to look at me, "I understand your concerns, but I am sure that Aro would not mind if you spent some time with me. Renata can go and inform him now, if she is concerned as well."

"I am," Renata supplied unsurely, "But, and I mean no offense, Mistress, I'm afraid I cannot leave the girl unattended. I'm under strict orders from Master Aro."

Athenodora looked at Renata with a neutral expression. "Of course. Well, in that case, you're welcome to accompany us."

"I'm still unsure that Aro would not become angry if he learned that I left this room," I protested.

Athenodora chuckled. "Bless his heart; I am not afraid of Aro in this matter. I am more frightened of what my husband would think if he were to see me with you."

I gulped audibly, thinking about Caius and his angry wrath.

"We can go to the kitchens and return quickly, if you wish," Athenodora reasoned. "I just thought that you might like to get out of this room, if even for a short while."

With one more moment of thought, I nodded, "A few minutes won't hurt."

* * *

Athenodora and I walked, side-by-side, as she led me to the kitchens in the strange and foreign castle-like building. Renata trailed behind us, occasionally looking around to see if anyone was watching the three of us walk by.

Though I had just met her, I took a (even if it was small) liking to Athenodora when we started walking, as she walked next to me, as if silently implying that we were equal. Renata, though she had been nothing but nice, never hesitated to assure me that she was ready to stop me should I try to escape.

Eventually, Athenodora led us to an area that appeared to be a type of waiting room. Comfortable chairs were spaced throughout, and a nervous-looking woman sat at a desk. Upon seeing us, however, she stood up and nodded to us respectfully.

Athenodora seemed not to notice and we continued along our way.

Before we walked completely out of the open room, I caught a glimpse of an elevator at the end of a hallway that branched off from the sitting area. Two intimidating men with red eyes stood in front of the elevator doors. _… Is that the exit?_

"Come now," Athenodora said patiently, lightly pulling my arm along.

* * *

We finally came to walk down a hallway, where Athenodora stopped us. "Here we are," she murmured, opening a plain door on the right side. She guided me through first, and then she and Renata followed.

A kitchen, perhaps one would see at a restaurant, was bustling with a normal amount of activity.

I looked at Athenodora questioningly.

"Our human servants must eat," she answered my unspoken question. "Oliver!"

A man not facing us, but rather a stove instead, jumped, and turned around. "Yes, Madam?" he inquired politely, and I noted his heavy Italian accent.

"Please prepare our guest whatever she requests," Athenodora ordered. Then, she lightly gestured me to order.

Instead, I walked over to him. He looked upon me with a rather confused look, probably wondering why I was willingly walking around with two vampires. He probably wondered if I was here against my will, and if so, he would not be wrong.

"What are you currently making?" I asked quietly, hoping that Renata and Athenodora would not be able to hear.

Olivier frantically shot a look at Athenodora, who I could feel staring at us even though I was not facing her. "Well… I was in the middle of making spaghetti for the rest of the staff."

"Would it be possible to spare a tiny portion for me?" I asked politely yet hopefully.

Oliver nodded readily. "Yes, I could quite easily do that. But, Miss, if I may ask, wouldn't you prefer something a little more… exotic?"

I shook my head quickly. "I do not think I would be able to stomach anything other than something that I have already tasted."

Oliver nodded knowingly. "It should be done in a few minutes…" he said, peering hopefully into the boiling water inside the pot on top of the stove.

"That is fine," I replied, "I can keep them busy until then."

Oliver smiled gratefully and continued about his task.

* * *

Once Oliver had the meal fully cooked, he eventually gave me a plate of delicious looking spaghetti (which looked far more appetizing than the bread and water Renata had been giving me the past few days). Athenodora managed to get a bottle of a dark red liquid and two wine glasses from another flustered looking chef, and then led us out of the kitchen.

I struggled not to trip as we walked briskly towards our next destination. The plate of still steaming spaghetti looked tastier by the second, but I did not dare to ask when we would be stopping so that I could eat.

Athenodora had led us through what I could only assume was a maze of corridors. Finally, we entered a room where there were many windows, and they were tall as well. Though it was night, I could faintly see the beautiful country scenery I had been deprived of in my own room. In the middle of the mostly empty room was a table, with four chairs.

Athenodora gestured for Renata and I to sit down. She took a seat herself and then said to me, "I thought you might like the view."

I nodded, not speaking. Instead, I looked down longingly at my plate of food.

"Please, do not let me stop you from eating," Athenodora said, opening the bottle of the mysterious-looking liquid and pouring some into the two glasses.

I gulped, as I had a pretty good guess as to what that liquid was. But, I chose not to ask, as who knows what sort of nightmares the answer Athenodora would have could give me.

"So, Aro has taken a liking to you," Athenodora said conversationally as I picked up my fork.

"I do not know if I would call it 'liking', I would think 'obsession' is a better term," I replied, before I could fully register what I was saying.

Athenodora laughed, while Renata eyed the doorway worriedly, as if someone would walk in at any moment. In response to her behavior, Athenodora slid her a glass of the red liquid and then took a sip of her own glass.

"Call it what you may," Athenodora said, "He has to feel something to you. Why else would he be keeping you here?"

_Do they know the entire details of my stay? _I wondered. I settled on shrugging. "If I may ask, why have you brought me here?"

Athenodora looked at me patiently. Then she sighed. "I'm not sure… I suppose I thought you would want some company."

"I do not want sympathy," I countered quickly. I took a bite of the spaghetti, and savored the delicious favor. _If I ever see Oliver again, I _have _to complement him on this recipe._

"I was not going to give you any… well, I wasn't going to give you a lot," Athenodora corrected herself. "But, if it makes you feel any better, I remember a girl, not unlike yourself, who was taken away from all she knew her life to be in a single moment, and brought to live with a man who could be meaner more unpredictable than the devil himself at times."

I stopped eating. "… Was that girl by any chance you?"

Athenodora nodded. "But, even though I said goodbye to my old life, I embraced this new one, and I have loved it since."

"You like being dead and killing other humans?" I answered skeptically.

Athenodora frowned. "Why must you put it into so blunt of terms?" she asked.

I fell quiet, slightly ashamed.

"You may not see it now," Athenodora continued, "But things can and _will _get better… if you let them. I understand that Aro most likely has you tied here against your will, but think of it this way: why would he go through all this trouble just to keep you here?"

I shrugged meekly.

"Even if Renata was not constantly by your side, you would not be able to escape here on your own. But Aro has Renata watch you, he has guards constantly monitoring the hallways, and even more guards are blocking the exit."

_So that _is _the exit._ "… I see what you mean, at least I think I do."

Athenodora took another sip of her drink thoughtfully. "When I was first brought here, and the exact events of which I will perhaps tell you in time, I thought my life was at its worst, like you are probably thinking now. But what I didn't expect was that Caius- even though he may be cruel at times- could also have a soft side. Caius _wanted _me as his mate, and he was not forced in any way to choose me over any other woman- mortal or immortal. I felt and still feel privileged to be chosen by him."

"… I haven't thought of it that way," I admitted quietly.

"Do not get me wrong," Athenodora continued, "I love my husband, but things were terrible at first. I would cry every night, and I hated the very sight of him. But, Aro is not Caius. They are two separate and unique individuals. You may find that Aro has your liking, or you may not. And there may still be negative aspects to staying here amongst us even after you come to terms with your new life. But, in the meantime, choosing to look at the positives instead of the negatives may make you more content with this situation."

I sighed, knowing she had a very good point.

Renata, whose eyes had been fixed to the doorway during Athenodora and I's entire conversation, suddenly, stood up, and bowed. "Masters," she greeted quickly and nervously.

I quickly looked towards the doorway to see Aro and Caius. Caius' eyes narrowed dangerously as he looked at the three of us, eating and drinking and chatting. Aro stood still, with his arms folded across his chest, and looked at us with a slight disproving look.

"Just what do you think you are doing?" Caius demanded with anger evident in his voice.

* * *

**dundundun…**

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	8. Gifted Twins

**As I type this, the right side of my mouth is completely numb and I have to slap myself occasionally.**

**ANYWHO, Thanks for all you awesome reviewers! :)**

**Hope you enjoy this chapter :)  
**

* * *

**Lilith's POV**

"… Well?!" Caius demanded when no one dared to speak.

Aro cleared his throat before saying, "Renata, you may be dismissed."

Because his tone left no room for argument, Renata meekly bowed her head, and muttered apologies as she passed Aro and Caius and left the room.

The tension was so thick, it could be cut with a knife… or fangs.

"Athenodora," Caius growled, "A word."

Athenodora, who seemed surprisingly unfazed by her husband's rage, almost as if she had grown accustomed to it, stood up calmly, and set her glass on the table. She scooted her chair back underneath the table before walking over to Caius, who led her to the far side of the room.

That left me alone at the table, with nothing to look at but Aro, who still lingered underneath the doorway, his disproving look ever-present.

"Lilith," he said simply, surprisingly sounding mostly calm. Still, there was the underlying malice laced into his voice, and it was this that caused my heartbeat to speed up in apprehension.

I swallowed, and stood up. Ignoring the half-covered plate of food, I quickly licked my lips clean. Nervously, I stepped around the table and began to walk towards Aro, who started walking towards me as well. As we met in the middle, he sighed.

"I see you have met Athenodora," Aro stated neutrally.

I nodded, but said nothing.

"I was surprised when I went to visit you but a few minutes ago and I saw that you were not in your room," Aro informed me.

I avoided his eyes. "… I was hungry, and Athenodora offered to take me to the kitchens… Please don't blame Renata; she said she wanted to find you before we even left the room, but she reasoned that you would be less angry if she went with us instead of leaving me alone with Athenodora. And Athenodora- she didn't tell me anything, I swear. I really did mean to-"

Aro put a finger lightly to my lips, instantly quieting me. "Shhh." A moment later, he carefully said, "You ramble when you're scared."

I stared at him as he let his hand fall to his side.

"I am not angry with you," he said then.

"… You're not?" I asked, disbelieving.

Aro shook his head. "A little surprised, yes. But, I would not mind if you spent time with Athenodora, as long as the next time this occurs I am aware of it. Until then, how about you stay put in your room unless I am with you. You wouldn't want me to inflict a punishment now, would you?"

I quickly shook my head.

"Good," he said, as he smiled brightly in contrast to the threatening words he'd just spoken.

As I overheard Caius 'speaking' loudly to Athenodora, I frowned. "What will happen to Athenodora?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"What do you mean?" Aro asked, sounding genuinely confused.

"… Is Caius going to hurt her?"

Catching me completely by surprise, Aro tilted his head backwards and laughed. "I highly doubt it."

However, I was still unconvinced as the volume of Caius' shouting increased.

"My brother has always had a short temper," Aro informed me. "And 'short' means both quick to be engaged and insignificant lasting. Not to mention, it is easier for him to forgive her than any other. He has never and will never harm her in anyway."

_I don't know about that… _"Will he be mad at me, too?" I asked, my voice dry.

"Perhaps," Aro answered cryptically.

I sighed. "This isn't right," I thought aloud. Instinctively, I walked towards Caius and Athenodora, leaving Aro behind to watch.

* * *

**Aro's POV**

I watched curiously as Lilith suddenly walked away from me and headed towards Caius and Athenodora. _Has that poor girl gone mad?_

Meanwhile, Caius accused Athenodora, "You must have some nerve, walking around with that… t-that _human _girl!" He was deeply lost in his rage.

"Oh, really?" Athenodora raised an eyebrow, "Well, perhaps you weren't listening earlier when Aro made that announcement. The _human_ girl you speak of will clearly be staying here for a while."

"Must you remind me?" Caius growled, quieter than he had been.

When Lilith came into Athenodora's sight, she quieted her husband completely and looked upon Lilith. Caius did as well, with a glare that could momentarily unsettle _me_.

Lilith trembled ever-so-slightly before Caius, who continued to look upon her with disdain as she said, "Please… Master, do not blame your wife; I beg of you. This entire fiasco was my fault alone. Athenodora was just trying to be a good hostess to me during my stay, and of which I am very grateful." She paused to give a look of thanks to Athenodora. "However, I now realize that I may have taken advantage of your wife's hospitality, and for that I dare to hope to be forgiven. I would also like to admit to the action that I performed several days ago. It was highly wrong of me to embarrass you in front of your people, and for that I will never expect to earn your forgiveness."

I was not the only shocked person in the room.

Athenodora stared at Lilith with wide eyes. I myself did the same.

But what most surprised me was Caius, as his stern face gradually softened. It was almost as if Lilith was a puppy that he had kicked, and he felt guilt. After a moment he said neutrally, "Just see to it that it never happens again." Lilith was quick to nod. "And I never want to see the two of you speaking again _unless _I have given my full consent."

With one last glance at Athenodora, he walked away. Lilith bowed her head in respect as he walked by.

Caius briefly paused once he reached the doorway and turned to face me. "_Women…_" he scoffed bitterly. "What are we to do with them?"

And with that, Caius was gone.

* * *

**Lilith's POV**

Aro returned me to my room a few minutes later, with a direct order to not leave the room with anyone but himself. To ensure I did as told, he locked the door once more.

* * *

The next two days passed swiftly. My food was always brought into the room while I was sleeping, so I never saw anyone else. And I was starting to wish that I would die alone and not see another vampiric-face.

Still, when there was a knock on the door about an hour after I woke from sleep, some part of me hoped that it was Aro.

And it was.

"Would you like to go on yet another walk with me, Lilith?" he asked politely, and it almost reminded me of the time when he visited at the Roberson's house.

_Speaking of which…_

Though I didn't want to argue with him, as it was obvious that his question was not to be objected, I simply had to know what had happened. "Can you answer a question?"

"Depends on the question, my dear, but most likely yes."

"What happened to the Robersons?"

"Whom?"

"The couple who I was staying with."

"Ah, yes," Aro smiled in remembrance. "I see you noticed that your clothes are in the wardrobe," he pointed, looking at the clothes I adorned. "Do not worry- I sent them a letter telling them that I was the brother of your brother-in-law, who they apparently have not seen, and that I picked you up from their house in order to convince you to move back in with Marietta, who missed you terribly. They allowed me to retrieve all your belongings from their house several days ago."

I breathed out sigh, relieved that they had not been harmed. "Wait, how do you know about Marietta?"

Aro half-laughed. "Did you think I would just abduct you without doing my research? I had to know who would be looking for you."

"And is she?"

"No," he replied simply, "She has yet to hear anything of you, but she does not suspect that you are missing."

I wasn't sure whether to be content or upset.

"How about that walk now, hm?" Aro suggested, holding out his arm for me to take.

* * *

**Aro's POV**

Again, we strolled along the halls. Mostly, we walked through the ones I had previously shown Lilith. But I also led her down several new ones. I watched with a slight smile as she observed the artwork that decorated these hallways.

"I must admit," I started casually, "You impressed me."

"How so?" she asked, oblivious.

"How you dealt with Caius," I clarified. "That is one way to soothe his temper that no one has ever tried, save you."

"Oh," she muttered. "Can I have an honest answer: was it really a big deal that Athenodora kept me company?"

I hesitated. "Not… entirely, per say. It is not an issue with Athenodora as a _person,_ but the plan _act _of you being led somewhere away from my knowledge is an issue. You see, _you _have to trust _me _before I can even begin to trust you with such a matter confidently."

"That sounds completely fair," she replied sarcastically, "You are asking a lot and in exchange I receive little benefits."

"I'm aware," I told her. "But, fear not- I know that in time you will eventually be able to trust me in the way I wish for you to do so."

"Oh do you?" she questioned, sounding skeptic. "I didn't think that predicting the future was another one of your _gifts._"

She had me there. "No, it is not. But, I enjoy my own gift well enough. However, those who can see the future have yet to cease to amaze me."

Her eyes widened. "There really are ones who can do that?"

I smiled, humored by her innocence. "Yes. You have much to learn, I see. I would be more than willing to teach you all that you may wish to know."

"… Like what?"

"I could teach you how to control your gift."

Lilith stopped walking, and I did the same.

"You lie," she accused, though her eyes were full of wonder and her tone was rather light.

I half-smiled and lightly tapped the hand that rested on my arm. "I do not, my dear."

"And if I was interested in this… hypothetically, of course, what would I have to do in exchange for you teaching me this?" Lilith asked, clearly determined to find a 'catch' in my proposal.

"If doing so would make you happy, then you would have to do nothing," I told her.

Lilith thought to herself for several moments. "How would you begin?"

I half-sighed, and dropped her hand from my arm and then grasped it firmly in my own. "Well… first, you would have to tell me why and how you suddenly developed your gift. I must start at the beginning to fully understand. After this, then I would be able to figure out how exactly to teach you."

Lilith looked at me in the eyes, and I saw fear. She quickly shook her head, and tried to pull her hand from mine, but I would not allow it. "I couldn't tell you."

"Then perhaps," I suggested softly and pleadingly, "You could show me?" I lifted her hand higher for emphasis.

She took several moments to think again. For a brief moment, I allowed myself to read her thoughts.

"You _have to trust _me _before I can even begin to trust you…" _She was recalling what I had said to her. _… Does this mean she _wants _me to trust her?_ I had to control the smile tugging at the corner of my lips.

"Alright," she said a moment later, her voice barely above a whisper.

Noting how scared she was, I told her gently, "It will not take long, my dear."

When a final uncertain look, Lilith dived into the depths of her own mind and recalled memories she clearly did not want to relive.

* * *

_A group of children, all aged approximately between 4 and 7, stood in a group formation in front of an altar inside of a church._

_Lilith Costa, one of the youngest-looking of the group, stood in the far left of the bunch. Another girl, looking about to be the same age, stood immediately to her right. The girl had a lighter shade of hair, and slightly different facial features, including a slightly different shade of blue eyes, but it was obvious that the two were related. I came to the conclusion, that this was Rosemary, or Rose, Lilith's elder twin._

_As the children sang, their voices blended into a peaceful harmony. Surprisingly, no one seemed dramatically entranced by Lilith._

_The scene blurred out of visibility and quickly changed._

* * *

"_Now be safe walking home, girls," a man dressed in church official robes warned Lilith and Rosemary, as they practically skipped outside the church._

_The night was dark and cold. Why the two girls were walking home, I had not the faintest idea._

"_Rose, why are we heading this way?" Lilith questioned, sounding worried. "We always walk home the other way."_

"_It is shorter this way, Lily," Rosemary said matter-of-factly. "If we go through the cemetery and cut through the woods, we will save at least 15 minutes of walking._

_Lilith sighed, but reluctantly followed her twin through the near two acres of graves. When they finally reached the edge of the cemetery, the place where the trees overshadowed the graves below, Rosemary skipped- and disappeared._

"_Rose!" Lilith called out in distress. The girl dropped to her knees and peered down into a recently dug grave, where her sister lay unconscious at the bottom._

"_Somebody help!" Lilith cried._

_The poor girl cried for help for at least have an hour, before deciding to find help herself. As she stood up, however, she slipped- and fell in herself._

_Lilith laid unconscious in the whole, right beside her sister._

* * *

_The girls were found in the morning. Lilith eventually awakened. Unfortunately, Rosemary fell into a comma- and did not awaken until several weeks later._

* * *

_Several years later, two older girls, perhaps around the age of 10 years old, played in the woods._

"_Lily!" Rosemary called to her younger sister._

_Lilith stopped in her prancing at looked at Rosemary, who was looking at a dead cricket._

"_Look!" Rosemary exclaimed in awe. Rosemary hummed several notes, much similar to how Lilith does, and suddenly, as if by some spell- the cricket jumped up._

_Lilith jerked away as the cricket hopped away. "What did you do?!" she demanded._

"_Isn't that cool?" Rosemary exclaimed._

"_Rose, you shouldn't do… whatever that is," Lilith fussed, sounding extremely concerned._

"_Why, so you can get all the attention with the thing you do when _you _sing?" Rosemary demanded, clearly annoyed._

_Lilith frowned. "I don't mean to do it- it just happens!"_

"_And whatever just happened to that cricket happens whenever _I _sing," Rosemary insisted firmly._

* * *

_Short, brief images flashed before my eyes._

_Rosemary and Lilith were older now, perhaps in their late teens._

_A quick image of Rosemary singing, hovering over a lifeless mass of fur…_

…_A dog, as if born a new, jumped and pranced around…_

_Marietta walks into the room, and screams… Rosemary looks surprised and tries to explain…_

… _Rosemary, in a straight jacket, is being led away, as Lilith watches, tears forming in her eyes…_

* * *

Lilith gasped, bringing me back into reality. "I'm sorry…" she whispered quietly.

Tears ran down her face as I processed all I had just scene. Instinctively, I pulled Lilith into my arms and held her comfortingly. "Thank you, my dear," I told her sincerely. Once the silent crying had stopped, I pulled away, but not before planting a brief kiss on Lilith's forehead.

Her eyes gazed deep into my own, and it took me a moment to say, "I will fetch Renata to escort you back to your room. I have business to attend to, but I will return to you as soon as I can."

She seemed appeased and thankful enough.

* * *

**Lilith's POV**

Renata led me back to my room, and I remained silent the whole time.

When the door closed and locked behind me, I spotted something lying upon the bed. It was my MP3 player, lying on top of the duvet. I remember Aro mentioning something about punishments and rewards concerning my behavior…

I knew who it was from, and I understood the unspoken message: _good job. _Out of pure curiosity, I walked over to the window, and withdrew the curtains.

My eyes were immediately greeted by light.

* * *

**Aro's POV**

I folded the piece of paper and slipped it into an envelope. The front read, _Rosemary Costa,_ _Lazio, Italy._ I handed the letter over to Demetri and said, "Deliver this to this girl as soon as possible. It is of upmost importance that we receive this."

Demetri nodded and left my presence.

I smiled to myself and pondered what I'd say to the girl I'd not seen for many decades... and what Marcus would think.

* * *

**O.o…. What does Aro want with Rosemary?**

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	9. Decisions, Decisions

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**Anyways, enjoy this chapter :)**

* * *

**Lilith's POV**

The next few weeks continued in a pattern.

Renata visited me daily, bringing me my meals and keeping me company.

Aro visited every few days, and surprisingly, with each visit, my level of wariness slowly, _slowly_, began to diminish.

He would often come unannounced, preferring to catch me by surprise. However, it was only a surprise to me, because he never entered the room while I was eating or speaking with Renata, as if he knew that I was preoccupied at those times. As if he knew that I would not be able to refuse him.

Aro would escort me through the halls, and this had almost become custom. When he reached a place fit for his liking, we would sit, and each time he would give me a tip and example of how to control my _gift._

Somehow, along the way… my initial hostility against him had faded. Though I still hated what he had done to me, I know longer hated _him._ The way he spoke to me now was less like how one would speak to a captive, and more like how one would speak to an equal.

He could tell that this made me more at ease, and continued to do so.

After several weeks of our routine, Aro stopped me one day while I was practicing my gift on a man who he called 'a guard' and said, "My dear, I have decided something."

I looked up at him. "Yes?"

"It is time that you know the capabilities and limits of my kind."

Before I could respond, Aro had thrown me over his shoulder, and ran so fast… I blinked and missed the change of scenery.

* * *

**Aro's POV**

I carried Lilith to the doors of the throne room, and set her down.

She stared at me with wide and frightened eyes as she tried to form words. "W-What the-… how…?"

"Remarkable strength, speed, and endurance are all wondrous benefits to this life," I told her calmly. "And you would experience these amazing capabilities as well, should you choose to become one of my kind."

Lilith paused, and then frowned. Shaking her head, she said, "Aro, I'm not going to-"

"-But of course," I interjected her, watching as she carefully decided that it was best not to speak, "this life is not all what is seems. While there are benefits, there are also negative aspects that have to be considered."

Before she could completely process what I had told her, I opened the doors to the throne room, and grabbed her by the arm firmly. The doors hit the inside walls with a _bang,_ and I led Lilith inside.

I heard her gasp as she took in the scene.

The midday tour had arrived about 10 minutes ago, if I was judging correctly. Bodies, thankfully all facing away from Lilith, littered the floor. Small amounts of dark, appetizingly looking blood seeped through their bodies, though most of it had been drained by my brethren. The blood that had managed to escape pooled in small streams down the slightly tilted floor, and into the purposely placed drain in the center of the room.

Though most of the consumers had already left the room, Heidi was one who remained. She finished draining the blood from a middle aged man and dropped his lifeless body, smiling as she wiped remaining blood from her face with the back of her hand.

Caius sat on his throne, looking quite satisfied. Athenodora, who had not yet made it up the stairs to the platform in order to stand beside her husband, looked at Lilith worriedly.

Demetri and Alec had begun to remove the lifeless bodies from the room. Small stacks were upon their shoulders and they reached to pick up more. Jane observed a dead teenage girl, performing her usual habit of checking belongings to see if the humans had anything of interest to her in their possesion.

I noticed Marcus was absent. _He has not fed for several days… _I frowned.

Lilith let out a lifeless scream beside me. Her thoughts shifted from bewilderment, to pure horror, and then anger. Suddenly, her eyes rolled back into her head, and she went limp.

As I reached out and caught her, quickly pulling her frail frame into my arms, Caius snickered.

"She could not fathom it?" he teased.

Athenodora looked at him apprehensively, and it was clear she was torn between speaking up to scold him or staying quiet, as was expected of her.

Her choice was clear. I cannot blame her- she did not need to step out of her place so soon after the occurrence with Lilith. Caius would most likely never harm her, but I did _not _want to hear their bickering for the next few days over this trivial matter.

I turned, carrying Lilith, and headed towards her room at a normal human pace, in order to not shake her limp head too much.

* * *

Lilith became conscious after a minute or two.

She gazed up at me groggily, before recalling what had happened and what I had shown her that had made her lose consciousness. She gasped, and tried to escape my hold.

"Easy," I warned her. I set her down on her feet gently and only fully released my hold on her arms when I was assured that she stood on steady feet.

"What was that?" she demanded.

"That is a natural occurrence," I answered vaguely. "It is as natural to my kind as eating is to yours. The only difference is that we _drink _our nourishment."

Lilith shivered involuntarily. "Why did you show me that?"

I sighed dramatically. "Lilith, my dear… it has been several weeks, over a month, actually, since I brought you here, and I have heard nothing more from you concerning my offer. You should be grateful for that amount of time that I have left you in relative peace, because my patience and cooperation from my 'family' is growing thin. I cannot tell them what I have offered you until I am sure that you agree to and accept it. I am expecting a decision from you soon."

She frowned. "I… I don't know if I can decide something so vital in a short amount of time…"

I sighed again, but this time it was genuine. I pitied her. "I'm afraid I can only give you a little more time to decide."

She nodded understandingly, and her gaze fell to the floor.

"Though what I have shown you may be unappealing upon a glance, that is not the only thing that being an immortal entails. I _had _to show you that, because you had to understand the negative aspects. But, there are many benefits, and I wish for you to be able to see them," I tilted her head up with my fingers gently so that her blue eyes bore into my own, "because I truly _do _wish for you to choose to stay here, with me."

She looked away, and I dropped my fingers. "I am honored that you would ask this of me, but…"

"Look at it this way," I pleaded, "If you stay here, with me, after you have bore me a child," -Lilith gulped visibly, "I can make you my mate. Are you aware of how much power I have?"

She nodded slowly. "I feel as though I have a good understanding."

"If you become my mate, that power can be yours as well," I told her.

Lilith looked at me in the eyes again, with an entranced look in her eyes as she thought of what I had said.

"All this power that I possess could be used towards _your _advantage. You are human- do you not have people in your life that have wronged you? You could use immortality to achieve your revenge."

"I don't know," she hesitated. "It seems wrong to partake in something so evil."

"Than do not 'partake' in it- embrace it," I suggested to her. "You have been given a gift, my dear… why not use it?"

Lilith was quiet for several moments.

"I will be leaving tomorrow," I told her, "and I do not plan to be back for a couple days."

"Where are you going?" she asked, sounding frightened.

I shushed her softly. "I'm just going away on… _business. _You need not to worry- Athenodora and Renata will be in charge of you."

Lilith actually half-smiled, clearly grateful of whom I had chosen to watch over her.

"When I return," I continued, "I have a feeling that you will be able to make your decision."

She protested, but I interrupted, "Do you trust me, Lilith?"

Lilith sighed, and looked at me in the eyes, as if scanning for falseness. When she found none, she answered, "Yes."

I smiled slowly. I leaned forward, and lightly pressed a kiss to her forehead. She blushed, and tried to hide it, but I had come to know her very well, and spotted it. "Does that embarrass you?" I asked, slightly amused.

She shook her head. "No. It humbles me."

_This girl knows exactly what to say, _I praised.

* * *

**Lilith's POV**

Aro left the following morning, as he had announced.

Athenodora visited first, immediately apologizing for what I had seen. I shook off her apologies and told her that Aro had already spoken to me over the matter. Defeated, she dropped her concerns.

"Come," she suggested then, "Let us take a walk in the gardens."

"Gardens?" I asked.

* * *

Yes, gardens.

Though, it was evening, and the sun was set over the horizon, making it slightly difficult to visibly see, I noticed all types of flowers and plant life that grew peacefully in the garden. I had never seen such a display of natural beauty, and I was a bit overwhelmed.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Athenodora asked.

I nodded.

"Another girl, not unlike you, loved this garden, too," she mused.

"Was this 'another girl' you?"

"Actually, no," she confessed. "Though I do occasionally find peace out here, there was another who loved this garden more than I."

I noticed another figure in black across the garden. It was a man, with dark hair, and he was sitting on a bench, looking content and at peace.

"Her name was Didyme," Athenodora said quietly, as her own eyes followed my inquisitive gaze. "She was Aro's sister, and Marcus' wife."

I looked at the man, and my brows furrowed. _Marcus… Marcus… one of Aro's brothers, the one who laughed as Caius and Athenodora danced?_

"What happened to her?" I asked.

"She was murdered," Athenodora said quietly enough, but I was able to detect anger in her voice. "a long time ago, but the culprit has never been discovered. Poor Marcus has mourned her increasingly over time, and he has never been able to move on. It is growing near the anniversary of the day that Marcus learned of her death, and he has not been handling it well. He spends a lot of his time out here lately."

"Is that why he seems so… bored?"

"Yes."

I frowned slightly, feeling pity and sadness for Marcus. "I would have thought he would have gone with Aro on the _business _trip."

Athenodora shook his head. "Marcus has never liked dealing with _business."_

"I see," I commented.

"Well," she said then, "it is getting cold. We should go back inside. I would hate for you to grow ill under my watch."

* * *

After three days, Renata came into my room, in a rush.

"Aro has returned," she announced, "and he has brought someone, another human." She hesitated. "… and she looks like you."

* * *

**If you are still reading this, please let me know by leaving a review!**


	10. Reunions

"**Is she even Italian?""Her name **_**is **_**Bella." XD It's the little things that make the movie funny.**

*****IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S UPDATE***** **IF I am able to maintain my current mental 'schedule' that pertains to the plot and events of this story, I should have a really exciting chapter posted on March 28****th**** (which is also my birthday) :) You may or may not be able to guess what this chapter may be about, but you will probably be able to figure it out soon with these next couple of chapters. I'm not sure how long this story will be yet, and how much time it will cover, but there will at least be a handful of chapters left. (Not to mention, I've been tossing around the idea of a sequel.)**

**Since I did not have school yesterday (due to snow), I was able to get a lot of this typed. Unfortunately, I cannot always promise long chapters like this every week, but I will do my best.**

*****REVIEWERS: Thank you! I'm humbled that you all enjoy this story so far. A lot of your reviews had me smiling, and they also encouraged me to write this! I hope you guys continue to be this awesome. :)**

**Enjoy! :)**

* * *

**Aro's POV**

I made an odd face as I observed the girl before me curiously.

The young woman did not fidget as much as her sibling might have, but the likeness between the two was undeniable.

Still, being fraternal twins, they were not by every means identical.

The girl was taller (and therefore, a tad bit thinner than I remembered Lilith to be). While Lilith looked perfectly healthy, this girl's bones were quite visible, and I guessed that it was due to a lack of nourishment. This girl also stood at least 2 inches taller than her younger sibling, who stood at a mere five and a half feet above the ground. Her hair was darker than her sister's, and was much longer in length. Because of this, it was tied together behind her head and floated freely down her back. Lilith's shade of blue eyes were lighter in comparison to that of her twin,, but the two did share a few facial features.

_But oh my, their voice!_

When I had first spoken to the girl, I did a double-take as my ears temporarily deceived me and tricked me into thinking that it had been Lilith to whom I had spoken to. Upon a second inspection, I concluded that their voices _were _dissimilar, but only by a tiny difference, and I was only able to detect that difference because of my enhanced hearing.

The girl standing before me, in the middle of the throne room, was able to keep her composure under my cool gaze. Though Demetri held her arm for security, I could tell that the girl would not have moved if he was not restraining her. The throne room was vacant, save us three, but it was not for long.

"Master?"

I turned towards the doorway, and smiled when I spotted Renata standing underneath it. "Renata!" I cheerfully strode towards her, and embraced her quickly. Then, I put a hand on her left shoulder and said, "Be a dear and fetch Lilith quickly for me, will you?"

Renata stared at the girl behind me with a confused gaze. My command startled her, and she said, "Oh! Uh, yes, of course, Master." She turned swiftly on her heels and scurried off.

I turned my attention back to the girl, who was eyeing Demetri suspiciously.

"Even if I wanted to, I highly doubt that I'd be able escape this room with you two in here. So, may I ask, why do you keep such a tight grip on my arm?" she asked Demetri.

My eyes widened with surprise, and partial amusement. _This girl certainly has a 'spark'. _Demetri looked to me then, to see if I had been offended and if he should answer the girl's question. "Demetri," I said, failing to hide some laughter, "Do as she wishes."

Demetri released the girl's arm, and she yanked it back towards herself, before comically dusting 'dirt' off of her standard, white, mental-patient uniform.

"Rosemary Costa, there is more to you than what meets the eye," I praised, smiling.

Rosemary returned the kind gesture. "Thank you, Aro."

Demetri seemed confused by our familiar exchange. "… Master?"

"Yes, Demetri?"

"May I be so bold as to inquire why you have decided to bring another human to our home?" Demetri asked.

By simply being distracted from the weeks' events, I'd forgotten to inform the guard of the _complete _reason for Lilith's staying at Volterra, and most did not even know her name. The only ones who did were my brothers, Renata, Athenodora, and Jane and Alec, who have most likely have been spreading (innocently) whatever information they could piece together to the other guards.

"Oh my, I've been so preoccupied that I've failed to realize that you do not know what is occurring! My sincere apologies, Demetri. I really _must _plan another meeting with the entire guard soon; wouldn't want to get ahead of myself, now would I?"

Demetri carefully raised an eyebrow as my realization slowly drifted to random thoughts that had been spoken aloud.

"To clarify for now," I re-addressed him, "This here is the previous human's sibling. She is here to do me a favor."

Demetri, though it was clear that he was not fully satisfied with my answer, knew better than to question me. Suddenly, he looked towards the doorway, to which I was once against turned away from. "Master, Renata has returned."

I turned once more, and saw Renata, with a careful Lilith trailing shortly behind her.

"Thank you, Renata," I told her as she completely entered the room. She walked over and stood dutifully next to Demetri. "Lilith, my dear?" I called to her as she lingered just outside of the room. Lilith looked at me questioningly. "Come, I have a surprise for you."

She initially hesitated, but finally took several slow steps towards me to enter the room. I moved aside, so that she could properly see Rosemary, who stood smiling.

A look of disbelief passed over Lilith's face as she almost immediately rushed forwards to her sister. Rosemary was quick to embrace Lilith, and immediately began saying things such as, "Your hair!" or, "Look how tall you are!", as if Rosemary was several _years _older than her sister, as opposed to actual mere _minutes._

"What are you doing here?" Lilith asked unsurely. Suddenly, as if struck by some horrid thought, Lilith turned to me angrily. "Why is she here?" she demanded.

"I offered her freedom in exchange for a favor," I told her simply, not threatened by Lilith's angry advance.

"And how did you obtain her freedom?" Lilith countered, her voice rising in volume with every word. "How many people died so you could help her escape?!"

I held out two hands to calm her. "My dear, please do not work yourself up; that would not be a wise thing to do. There were no casualties, and I can only trust that you will believe me when I say this."

"Well I am sorry for not fully believing you after what you showed me a few days ago," Lilith grumbled.

"No one died, Lily," Rosemary assured her, seeing that my answers did nothing to soothe her sibling's anger. "It was a very strategic and quick procedure that helped me escape the institution."

Lilith faced her sister, and frowned. "You should not have escaped- they will look for you!"

Rosemary shook her head. "No, Aro was very sure not to leave any evidence. And on top of this, I had another lovely escort to make the situation more enjoyable," she said, half-serious, and half-sarcastic, eyeing Demetri in a comically romantic fashion.

Demetri scoffed, unsure of whether to encourage or disregard the girl's sarcastic remarks.

"The question still remains- why?" Lilith asked, looking at me pleadingly. "What do you want with her? Was I not enough? Will you kill her too?"

This looked like it was news to Rosemary. "Not if she completes the favor I ask."

"And if she does not? What will you do to her then?" Lilith continued, her glare never faltering.

I sighed melodramatically. "Lilith, you need to calm down. You are not thinking logically enough for me to continue this discussion with you. Renata, please escort Lilith back to her room where she can sort her thoughts. I will send Rosemary along in a few minutes."

Renata led a still-fuming Lilith out of the room and my sight.

"What have you done to my sister?" Rosemary asked in disbelief.

"Nothing that she has not assisted with by bringing upon herself," I answered cryptically.

"I see," Rosemary mused. "But you do take care of her, right?"

I paused, and quietly replied, "Of course. I care very much for her well being, and it will stay this way as long as she accepts my care."

"And what makes her do that?" Rosemary countered, in a brief attempt to extract information from me.

I would not take the bait. "Perhaps you would not mind speaking to her? Tell her that this truly _was _your decision, and that I merely aided in your wish to escape. After all, the sooner you settle this with her, the sooner you can fulfill that favor that you owe me."

She nodded.

"Demetri, will you please escort this girl to wherever Renata took Lilith?"

* * *

**Lilith's POV**

Renata led me outside, to the gardens. It was night, and the moon provided the only light. It was an eerie evening, and it reminded me greatly of the night that I had met Aro. Why I was never brought out here during the daytime, I was unsure.

Renata directed me to sit on a bench. "Just breathe, Lilith. You are starting to frighten me."

I sighed, and tried to do as she asked. "I'm starting to scare myself. I was starting to trust Aro, honestly. But then he goes and pulls this-"

"-Maybe it is not what it seems!" Renata suggested quickly. "You have to believe that he knows what he is doing."

"But it is my sister!" I argued. "I've just started to accept the fact that I will die here, and now I have to drown in my guilt knowing that her fate is the same!"

"Perhaps she will not _die _here," Renata quietly said, in a suggestive tone.

I looked at her with horror. "You don't mean-"

"-Maybe she should explain herself," Renata finished, looking behind me.

I turned as Rosemary approached us. "May I sit?" she asked.

I nodded, and Rosemary sat next to me. "Aro asked me to come speak to you," she explained.

"What does he have to say?"

Rosemary sighed. "Several things. But they aren't important coming from _him, _their important because they are also coming from _me._"

"Well?"

"I want you to know that Aro contacted me several weeks ago. I received a letter in the mail, and the address seemed normal. The institution let me read it. In the letter, he briefly explained that you were staying with him, and that he was helping you control your _gift, _which, by the way, is a very nice thing for both of you to do. He also told me that you informed him about my own gift. He offered me escape from my old life in exchange for me using my gift for him, and I agreed."

"Why does he want you to use your gift?" I asked.

"He says he lost someone dear to him long ago, and he thinks that I can help him."

"Doesn't he know that your powers have limits?" I asked, referring to common knowledge shared between us. Rosemary's _gift, _though marvelous it may seem, only had effect for several minutes.

Rosemary nodded. "I informed him of it. But, I also told him about certain _informants _that I made while at was at the institution. There is a way to keep the change permanent."

I gasped. "… How?"

"It is a long and difficult process. It involves old Wiccan techniques-"

"-Wiccan?-"

"-and it will most likely kill me."

"Then why are you doing this?" I demanded, not understanding.

Rosemary sighed again. "It seems to be a little price to pay- to do this in exchange for freedom."

"Freedom in being dead?" I countered.

Rosemary shook her head. Then, she whispered, so that Renata, who had politely stepped several feet away from us, would not hear, "After I do this… I am to be changed."

"Changed?" I asked.

"I am to become one of _them._"

I frowned. "… Why would you want that?"

"Does it not sound appealing?" Rosemary replied determinedly. "It is quite a small price to pay, indeed."

"Rose, you are killing people!" I snapped.

Rosemary frowned. "I will choose to only feed on criminals and low life scum like Marietta who is responsible for putting me in that institution."

"That is our sister!" I shouted then, standing up and glaring down at her. "And I do not think you will have a choice!"

"Please, remain calm. I decided this by myself and myself alone," Rosemary argued calmly.

"So you are implying that Aro would not have killed you if you did not agree?"

Rosemary hesitated. "He probably would have, I'll admit. But it does not matter because I agreed."

"That does not make it okay!" I argued.

Rosemary stood up, angered. "Would you have rather preferred me to stay locked up?!"

"I would have preferred you not to come," I said quietly, my voice barely above a whisper.

Rosemary looked at me, and I knew that I had hurt her. "Oh… I see."

I shook my head quickly. "No, you don't. I would have preferred you not to come because it is not safe for you here- I cannot promise you that you will be turned and live! You could be killed after you have done Aro his favor, and I will have no say about it!"

Rosemary shook her head. "It's silly, really, for me to think that you should trust this guy who has done nothing but take care of you for these past few weeks, and I can trust him with such a big thing, yet I have known him for a far shorter amount of time than you."

"You are in no place to assume such things about me," I growled, my voice dangerously low.

"What are you waiting for? It is obvious he would have killed you already if he wanted to!"

"You do not know the reason why I am being kept here in the first place!" I shouted.

"You're right," Rosemary agreed. "But even if I did, you would not listen to my reasoning anyways. You are just like her, Marietta. You two are so closed-minded."

"Don't you dare insult me and _our _sister that way!" I snarled. "She took us in when our own father would not."

"Yes, and she also sent me away-"

"YOU WERE ABUSING YOUR GIFT!"

… Silence befell the entire garden. The crickets even ceased their chirping. The only noise I could hear was the pounding of blood echoing in my ears. Renata said nothing.

"… You are jealous," Rosemary accused quietly.

I looked at her. "… What?"

"You are jealous that I am receiving all this attention from Aro," she clarified.

"I am not," I denied.

"Yes, you are. And do you know why? It is because you have feelings for him," Rosemary explained. "And, I could tell, the way he spoke of you… he has feelings for you to, though I do not know how deep they are."

I could say nothing.

"We should return now," Rosemary decided. She gestured for Renata to follow her, and she returned back the way she had come.

I was the last to follow.

* * *

**Aro's POV**

"Aro, I must speak with you."

Marcus entered the throne room, walking with long strides.

"Hello, brother," I greeted him with smile from my place on my throne. "How have you been?"

As he approached me, he said simply, "I am sure you are aware of what day approaches, Aro."

I nodded knowingly. "And that is why I have a surprise for you."

"Ah?" Marcus asked. He walked up the platform stairs and sat on his own throne.

I nodded. "But, you should say what you needed to say first."

"It concerns the girl, Aro."

"… Lilith?" I questioned, playing dumb.

"Yes, Aro," Marcus replied patiently. "I will not tell you what to do, but I must confront you about what I see."

"Go on," I pressed.

"Aro…" Marcus sighed. "I am not blind. I can sense the feelings that you harbor for Lilith."

I frowned.

Marcus continued, "And I only bring it up because I _know _what these feelings you have are. They are different than those you have for Sulpicia. You must know what this means."

I let out a sigh myself. Out of all my beloved 'family' members, Marcus (and another, when said person was alive) was the only one with whom I could be completely honest with. He was able to see right through me… well, most of the time, with the aid of his _gift_. And he would never tell a soul of what I confessed to him, as he understood my pain, and I understood his.

"Do you think that she is my mate?" I asked him, trying to brush off the seriousness of the question with a laugh.

Marcus hesitated. "I can only tell you that I felt (and still, feel) similar feelings for your sister."

I paused in thought. While Sulpicia and I had a rather lustful relationship, I'd always assumed that was what having a mate felt like. _… Have I been convinced this whole time? Have I simply never known for sure what being mated feels like, so I assumed that it was something it is not?_ _I _do _feel different when I am with Lilith, as opposed to Sulpicia. When I am with Lilith, I feel more… human? Even if it bothers me, it feels _real, _and genuine. _My eyes widened in the horror of realization.

Marcus, who knew that I finally understood what he was hinting at nodded. "Brother," he said, grabbing my attention slowly, "I only hope you spare Sulpicia any more torment."

_Sulpicia. _I'd forgotten. Though I continued to spend most of my nights with her, she still had feelings for Michael, the guard she had had an affair with. _And while she was thinking of him… I was thinking of Lilith. _My brows furrowed deeply. _I am a leader of the most powerful race on this Earth… I should not have these feelings that do nothing but distract me!_

But still, I knew. I knew enough about the ancestry of my kind to know that having a mate was a serious situation, and most of the time, the two that were mated had no original intention to become so. Mates are… to quote a spiritual book, 'two beings that are destined from their creation to be entwined'. It was entirely unavoidable, and could not be forced. _Has Sulpicia found hers then, in that guard?_

"Brother, I am faced with a dilemma," I confessed quietly.

"Aro?" Rosemary called.

Rosemary, trailed by Demetri, Renata, and finally a frowning Lilith, entered the throne room.

"I am ready," Rosemary announced, stopping before the stairs. Demetri and Renata stood on either side of her, while Lilith, curiously, stood behind the group.

I smiled. _Focus! _I told myself. _You can deal with Lilith later. Now, it is time to turn your concerns to what is about to happen. All my guilt, after all these years, will be gone. The Volturi are in the _perfect _position to be victorious with my plan. Everything is going our way._

Didyme, my little sister, was killed by none other than I.

Of course, no one ever knew of this. I had blamed the killing on the Romanian coven. My coven was greatly angered, as most greatly enjoyed her presence among us, and Marcus changed, and has never been the same. I killed her from behind, as I could not live with myself if I saw the betrayal in her eyes. She had no idea that it was me, and she had not even seen it coming.

I had found her in the garden, all alone, one evening. Marcus had work to do, and Athenodora was 'dining' with Caius that evening. She had asked me to play a game of chess with her, as that was what we would do together often, but I politely refused, and told her that I had work to do as well.

She'd been plotting to leave with Marcus, and to disgrace us all. But then, at that time, I could not afford it. I snapped her neck, and burned her body.

That is how Marcus found her the next morning.

I felt immense guilt. My dying mother, hundreds of years ago, who was on her deathbed, asked one thing of me as she lay dying: that I took care of my little sister. And I did, until I could no longer afford to. But now, with Rosemary, and now, since the Volturi was once again at its height, I could bring her back.

And she could stay, for good.

This time, I would not fail. Marcus, overjoyed, will be too happy to notice anything other than Didyme for a few centuries, at the very least. Chelsea will help me ensure that the two will stay satisfied as well. And, to top it all off, I would find a way to pinpoint their anger from their separation and Didyme's untimely death on the Cullens. _All the right cards will be in my hands!_ _And things will work out correctly this time, like they were meant to all along. No one will have to know about my sin._

Then, I realized that I had one person to thank for this second chance I'd been given, and it was Lilith.

I brought my attention back to Rosemary, who by now was staring at me apprehensively. "Oh, of course, "I said, redirecting my focus. "You mentioned that you will need certain items to perform this ceremony, did you not?"

Rosemary nodded.

Marcus stood to leave. "I should be going-"

"No, brother," I told him, standing up as well. "This is your surprise. Relax, and sit."

Marcus hesitated, but finally relented.

"Lilith?" I called to the girl, who looked up at me unsurely. "Come here, my dear."

She did so slowly and quietly, stopping before the stairs like the others. "Yes, Aro?"

I reached out my hand for her to take. She put a hand in my own, and then I led her gently up the stairs. "Sit," I directed, gesturing to my throne.

She hesitated. "No, I couldn't-"

"Sit," I repeated, more firmly this time. Scared by my sudden command, she did so immediately. "See?" I asked once she had settled. "It is nothing more than a silly chair."

But it _was_ more than a silly chair, and Renata and Demetri knew this. They gave each other confused looks.

"Rosemary," I beckoned, "Please continue listing what it is that you require."

Rosemary said, "Well… what, may I ask, was the final cause of death?"

I certainly did not inform Rosemary about the details of Didyme's demise, but she did know of her. "Fire," I answered simply.

Rosemary smiled, and almost laughed from relief. "Good. Much better results arise from natural deaths. But, Aro, I must confess… the technique I am about to use is one that I have never tried yet. I cannot promise that the effect will be permanent."

"Try," I urged. I had little patience for the girl if she went back on her promise now.

Rosemary nodded quickly. "Yes. Well, I will need remains-"

"-That I can do," I interrupted. I beckoned Renata to come closer to me, and she obliged. I whispered a command lowly into her ear, and then she turned and left the room.

"Aro, what is this about?" Marcus asked.

"Yes," Lilith cautiously agreed. "What is going on?"

"Marcus," I said, "This is your surprise: Didyme shall return."

Lilith frowned. "Your sister?"

"Yes," I replied, dumb-founded, "How did you know?"

Lilith opened her mouth to speak, but stopped once she saw Renata re-entering the room. In her hands, Renata carried an exquisite urn that housed the remains of my departed sister.

"Aro, please do not give me lies," Marcus protested. "I will not be able to bear another disappointment."

"This is not another disappointment, dear Marcus. This girl is named Rosemary, and she is Lilith's sister. Like her sister, she is also _gifted._ I speak the truth, and this girl can verify my statement."

"Yes, what he says is true," Rosemary finalized.

Marcus remained silent, disbelieving but probably not wanting to annoy me further.

Renata brought the urn to me, and I grasped it firmly. "What else, Rose?"

"I will need eight candles, a plant of some type, and some water."

"Renata, let it be done."

* * *

Once all the items had been gathered, Rosemary gingerly took the urn from my hands. "It is a good thing," she said, as she moved towards the center of the room, and gently placed the vase on the ground, "that the remains were kept in a compact form. It makes this much easier, you see." Suddenly, she froze. "I forgot," she said simply.

"Forgot what?" I asked.

"Clothes."

"Clothes?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Um, yes, unless-"

Before she could finish, Marcus removed the outer robe of his attire, which was nothing more than a show of authority, rather than an actual decency screen. Rosemary walked up to him, and gratefully took the robe from his outstretched hands.

"Renata, Demetri, you may be dismissed," I said then, deciding that the ceremony should be more private.

They were hesitant to leave, but they finally relented and did as told. However, I could easily guess that they were waiting just outside the throne room doors, which closed behind them with a thud that echoed.

Rosemary immediately placed the candles around the urn in a circle, and then proceeded to light each wick on fire with a match that Renata had also brought along with the candles. When she finished, she flicked her wrist, and the match died out. Then she wrapped the robe Marcus had shed around the urn. Rosemary then turned to the water bottle that Renata had fetched from the kitchens. She opened it, and lifted the lid from the lid from the urn. After pouring a satisfying amount into the urn, she set the bottle down. She picked up the plant she had requested. It was a rose, and I am sure the Renata knew that roses were Didyme's favorite type of flower, and chose this plant because of it. Rosemary picked up the rose, and carefully held it over one of the candle's open flame. The rose quickly engulfed in flames, put Rosemary proceeded to put the rose in the urn before she was burned. When she had finished, she placed the lid back on the urn and then turned to me.

"All that is left is to sing," she announced.

I nodded and said, "Proceed."

She moved herself so that she was standing outside of the circle. After clearing her throat, she started singing, in Latin, I concluded. Ancient Latin. Ancient Latin that was used in burials. Except, the words were almost reversed- instead of suggesting that the departed one find peace among the dead, the words told the departed one to come back to the peace in the land of the living. Though Rosemary's voice did not entrance me like Lilith's, it made me feel more… _lively?_

Lilith quivered slightly when an ominous wind suddenly circulated throughout the room, threatening to extinguish the candles. But, it seemed as if that was the intention. Paintings along the wall shook in their place, and books lying on the table near the platform flipped opened, and pages turned rapidly on their own.

As Rosemary increased in volume, the wind blew harder, and harder, until finally, Rosemary's singing died with a shout. A sound of shattering glass echoed throughout the room, and dust clouded our vision. Marcus, Lilith, and I were forced to turn away.

After a moment, the wind died down, before ceasing to exist at all. The paintings and books settled. Ever so slowly, the dust disappeared, and we all turned our vision back to the center of the room.

"Rosemary?! Lilith called desperately, standing up as soon as she spotted her sister's limp form on the floor.

"Demetri?" I called loudly.

Demetri entered the room using his speed, picked up Rosemary in his arms, and then left, closing the door behind him.

"Where is he taking her?" Lilith demanded, sounding frightened.

"She will die if she is not changed," I answered simply. "And I intend to keep the agreements I make," I added, suggesting assurance to Lilith.

Then, I saw her.

Clad in nothing but Marcus' discarded robe, a pale woman stood where the urn had once been. The glass fragments laid in pieces around her. Raven hair fell to her waist, and red eyes bore into my own, before they shifted their gaze to another occupant of the room.

"Marcus," Didyme breathed, barely audible.

I smiled. The room filled with an aura I had not felt for many centuries.

* * *

"Come now, Lilith," I told the girl patiently, gently guiding her outside to the garden.

After a brief reunion, I noticed Lilith's labored breathing as all the remarkable events throughout the night had finally caught up with her human body.

Didyme and Marcus, too lost in their own reunion to notice much else, left the throne room, but not before a near-crying Marcus thanked Lilith for what her sister had done, and he vowed to ensure that no harm would come to either of them as long as they resided in Volterra.

I myself had barely embraced my sister before my concern for Lilith clouded my thoughts. Promising to announce her return with a huge banquet, and an explanation as well, we departed from the throne room.

I sat Lilith down on the bench in the garden, before realizing that this was probably the place the Renata had left her earlier to speak with Rosemary. _Probably not the best idea._

"Breathe," I told her a moment later, grabbing for her hand and hoping the coolness would soothe her a bit. When it did, I relaxed.

"I'm sorry," she whispered when her breath had returned. "I'm just…"

"I understand," I told her sincerely.

"Aro?" she asked meekly.

"Yes, Lilith?" I asked.

"I've made my decision," she whispered.

I looked at her, in slight disbelief. "And what is that decision, may I ask?" I sat down beside her. She swallowed. "Take your time," I added.

Lilith nodded, before saying, "… If you'll have me, I want to stay here… with you. I trust you."

I'd barely heard. It had been so quiet that I was temporarily convinced that I had imagined her words. "What?" I asked, completely shocked.

She nodded, before opening her mouth to speak. However, she could not seem for form words.

"You do not have to repeat yourself," I told her softly. Suddenly, I was overcome with a flood of emotions… _Everything, and I mean everything, has fallen into place. Now all that is left to do is to allow time to run its course. _As much as I wanted to read her thoughts, I thought it best not to ruin the moment.

"Lilith?" I whispered. She looked at me with her deep blue eyes, and if I had a heart, it would have ached. "I know that you are starting to feel for me in the way that I had hoped, because I am starting to care for you more than I ever thought I would. Lilith… I am falling in love with you."

Her heart skipped several beats, and she did not blink. Acting by instinct rather than logic, I slowly leaned forward, and gently pressed my lips to hers.

Though she initially was hesitant, she soon threw caution to the wind and responded to the kiss with wanting. It was nothing lustful- it was soft, but full of passion and built up emotions that neither of us had bothered to share with the other. It was silly really, the way this girl made me feel like a young child again, but I did not mind it in this moment, and I gave in to my underlying desires.

I could feel my wife's angry eyes bearing into my back, but I ignored it. I smiled into the kiss, and wrapped my arms protectively around Lilith.

* * *

**Aw :')**

**Please review, the next chapter is planned to be a biggie :)**


	11. Celebrations

**Thanks for the reviews :)**

**I hope the pacing is okay. Let me know your thoughts. :)**

**Enjoy. :)**

* * *

**Aro's POV**

"Ah, yes," I sighed happily, "this will be splendid."

Aware and hesitant humans flocked and from destinations and throughout the 'castle', but mostly throughout the throne room.

A ceremony was scheduled for later in the evening to officially announce the return of Didyme, and to reveal to my beloved 'family' the plan that I had conjured that could save us all.

Loyal and artistic human workers were put in charge of decorating accordingly. Of course, they were all hesitant to make important decisions without my input, so many asked for it often.

Athenodora, enthused to learn about her sister-in-law's return, readily agreed to help in any way possible with planning the ceremony. She had already written up the guest list, and the few invitations had been sent several days ago. She planned a party following the event, and chose only the finest specimen of blood to be served. Athenodora also hired musicians to play, and I knew this was something that Lilith would enjoy greatly.

Presently, Athenodora arranged the flowers that Didyme had (though she was persuaded to) chosen in vases, and then directed others to place them in spots to her liking.

"They all look so marvelous, Athenodora," I praised, walking beside her.

"Thank you, Aro," she gushed after her temporary feeling of shock subsided. "I have been informed that Lilith's dress is finished. Should I have her fitted?"

I nodded. "If you would not mind taking a few spare moments," I added.

Athenodora quickly shook her head. "It is no trouble. The girl has been cooperating a lot more recently- I wonder if things have finally 'clicked' for her."

I could do nothing but return an impassive smile. "So it would seem."

"Though she does tell me that she worries about her sister," Athenodora continued, her voice taking a worried tone.

"Does she?" I asked, pretending to be distracted by two men draping decorative tapestries along the ceiling and wall edge.

Athenodora replied, "Yes. Not that it is any of my business, of course, but if I were to bring her back some news of her sister, perhaps then Lilith may be a little more at ease."

I understood. It was logical, after all. Lilith was still human, and she still felt sympathy in mass amounts like most humans did. "Tell her that the transformation is progressing as it should."

"Transformation?" Athenodora questioned. "So what I heard was true- you have changed the girl?"

"Yes. Demetri was the one to do it, and he has kept a watchful eye on her since. When she awakens, and is ready to feed, he will escort her as well," I informed her.

"Demetri?" she questioned, sounding pleasantly surprised.

I laughed briefly, "Yes, it does seem odd, doesn't it? However, I trust him to ensure the girl will be in good health."

"Well, should I go get the dress fitted, then?" Athenodora asked, sensing that I would reveal no more information about the subject.

"By all means," I replied cheerfully, politely steeping aside and gesturing for her to continue on her way.

As Athenodora walked out of the doorway, she nodded at Marcus and Didyme, who approached me, their arms interlocked.

"Hello, Aro!" Didyme greeted happily, temporary untangling her limb from Marcus' and briefly throwing her arms around my neck in a quick embrace. She pulled back, and once more entangled her and Marcus' arms.

"Hello, Didyme," I greeted back, nearly just as cheerful. "How are you this fine day?"

"Absolutely lovely," she replied enthusiastically, her blood-red eyes almost shining with excitement. "Marcus and I just went through a stroll in the garden, and we spent the several hours before reading in the study. I'd never think I'd miss those old text books so much!"

I laughed at her innocence. "I am glad you are enjoying yourself."

"Oh, I am," Didyme quickly assured me, "I'm so grateful just to be… well, back. Really, Aro, I know you mean well, but this party is really not necessary-"

"-Nonsense, my dear sister, nothing is too good for you," I insisted.

"If you insist," Didyme said, clearly defeated. She hesitated briefly, before whispering something into Marcus' ear. He nodded with a smile, and then left us.

"May I speak to you alone, Aro?" Didyme asked, as I watched Marcus' retreating form.

I was brought back to my senses and nodded. "Of course, dear sister." I held out an arm for her to take, and she did. I led her out of the throne room, leaving several curious humans watching us.

* * *

**Lilith's POV**

_Knock, knock._

I was brought out of the depths of my own dreams by a rather insistent knocking on the door. Frowning slightly, knowing that Aro would not have bothered to knock, I unsurely called, "Come in!" and got up off the bed.

Athenodora entered the room, not bothering to shut the door, with a black dress in her hands. "Hello, Lilith," she greeted cheerfully, almost _too _cheerfully, and this frightened me slightly.

"Athenodora," I acknowledged her presence. "What is that?" I gestured.

"Your dress," Athenodora replied, as if I should have known.

"My dress for what?" I pressed.

"The party, of course," Athenodora scoffed playfully. "Surely Aro has told you about the party this evening."

I shook my head. "I have not seen Aro for several days."

After the rather _trying _day, Aro walked me to my room from the garden, and bid me a good night. He had failed to visit me since.

"Oh," Athenodora frowned, "Well, I suppose he will be talking to you shortly then, concerning it."

"What type of party are you referring to?" I asked cautiously, not sure I wanted to know the answer.

"Oh," Athenodora's frown quickly disappeared, being replaced by a cheerful smile once more. "It is to announce the return of Didyme, and Aro also has a surprise for the guard, and it concerns you."

"Oh, how lovely," I murmured, "I get to be in the presence of fifty thousand vampires."

Athenodora laughed, "Oh, Lilith you are so silly- there are only about five hundred members in the guard."

"Oh, my bad," I said apathetically. "Who exactly is 'the guard', anyway?"

"Well, they are a coven. How to put this... the guard, and Aro, Caius, Marcus, Didyme, and myself, are all a big... _family, _if you will. Although we are a family, there is a sort of social structure as well- 'the guards' in general are the lowest ranking members of the family. But, there are more important guard members- I am sure you have seen them- that are in higher positions. Next, Didyme and I rank beneath our husbands, who, including Aro as the highest, are the top ruling members. Was that clear enough?" Athenodora asked innocently.

"Crystal," I replied, though I wasn't entirely sure.

"Anyways," Athenodora said, changing the subject, "This is your dress that Aro ordered to be made so that you could wear it this evening. He wanted me to ensure that it fits properly."

I gulped. "Aro picked it out?"

"Before you jump to conclusion, it is really not that horrible. Not the most modest thing in the world, but you would defiantly not seeing humans on street corners wearing it, either." She directed me towards the bathroom and shut the door.

* * *

Athenodora was right, as she is most of the time.

The black dress, though it had a few tweaks that suggested sex appeal, was overall very classy. It was floor length, and by that alone I knew that the party was going to be an extremely formal event. Though the top came down a little too low for my preference, that was the only negative thing I had to say about it, in retrospect. The straps were decently sized- not too thin, but thin enough to suggest it as a modern garment as opposed to one of a few decades ago. The skirt of the dress was... swooshy, for a lack of adjectives. It flowed regally with every step I took, and once I was wearing the dress, I walked around solely for the purpose of watching it flow behind me, while Athenodora stood watching.

Once her approval was given, I changed back into my regular clothes and Athenodora took the dress and left, but not before promising to be back in the evening to help me prepare for the party.

* * *

**Aro's POV**

"So Aro, tell me about this girl," Didyme suggested, as we strolled though the hallways of our home.

"She is doing well," I replied, "the transformation is progressing regularly, and within any day she should awake."

"No, not that girl," Didyme said, "though I would like to speak with her when she awakes. I am talking about the girl that was also in the room several nights ago, the one that looks like the other girl."

"Lilith?"

"Is that her name? Interesting. It is a pretty name, I suppose," she commented.

"Yes, it is," I agreed.

"What is she to you?"

I raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"Well, it is obvious that she has been around for quite some time and that you plan to keep her around for a while," Didyme said, matter-of-factly.

"And why is that 'obvious'?"

"Because, brother," Didyme replied patiently, "I know you, almost as well as you know you. " _Not really. _"It is obvious that the girl is familiar to you, and you could only have gotten to know her if she has been here for a while."

"Fair enough," I caved. "But what makes you think that I plan to keep her here longer?"

"Simple," Didyme said, "If you did not care for her, you would have allowed yourself to lose control of your thirst a long time ago. Since you care for her, she will continue to stay here, because your possessive nature will not allow yourself to kill her or let her go, either way."

_... Damn._ "... And _if,_ and only _if, _this is true?"

Didyme shrugged. "I do not know. That is up to you. It would not be wise of me to make my older brother's decisions for him. But may I be so bold as to suggest that you tell Sulpicia what has occurred?"

I frowned. _Where does the time go? I cannot put this off any longer._ "You are right, Didyme. I will dispose of Sulpicia today, before the party to save her embarrassment."

"What do you mean by 'dispose'?" Didyme asked carefully.

"Rest assured, I mean not to kill her," I told Didyme quickly. "But, if she refuses to leave, I cannot make any promises about her well-being."

"Fair enough," Didyme replied quietly. "Now that that is settled... Would you be up to a game of chess, later?"

I smiled. "Nothing would please me more."

* * *

**Lilith's POV**

Athenodora arrived several hours later, informing me that it was near 4 o'clock and since the ceremony officially started at seven, she needed to immediately prepare me. She herself was dressed in a dark, elegant gown of purple, with matching heels, and her hair in soft curls that fell down her back. I was starting to notice the repetitiveness of purple, but chose not to say a word concerning it.

"Don't be nervous," Athenodora assured, as I sat on the edge of the bed as she combed through my hair, quickly but surely.

"How can I not be?" I asked honestly. "Aro never came to see me."

"I am aware," she replied, as she gestured for me to stand up and head towards the bathroom. "That is why you are being readied so early- he wishes to see you before the guests arrive. Now, chop, chop, put on your dress."

I did so, half of the reason being Athenodora's encouragements and the other half being a mixture of dread yet curiosity of what this party would ensue. _Do vampires party like humans?_

Being 23 years old, I hadn't attended any fancy gatherings, and was a little unsure of proper etiquette.

As if reading my mind, Athenodora said, "Do not worry- I should be near you and Aro for the entire evening, so if you are ever unsure, do not hesitate to ask. But I must warn you- Aro does not like to be embarrassed in front of his peers."

"Thank you, that did miracles to calm my fear," I replied sarcastically.

"Just hush," Athenodora snapped playfully.

* * *

"All done," Athenodora announced, some hours later. "Look, and see."

I stood off my make shift seat on the edge of the bathtub, and walked over to the mirror.

It took me a moment to recognize myself. The dress was just as lovely as before, but the other additions of 'get up' made me unsure of who I was looking at.

Athenodora had curled my hair, and then proceeded to pin it up in an elegant updo. She left my pale complexion virtually untouched, only touch up a few spots here and there. My eyes were outlined in shaded eyeliner, almost giving of a smoky look. My lips, slightly to my dismay, yet slightly to my pleasant surprise, were a dark red, thanks to lipstick, which was a makeup product I had rarely ever used previously.

"I'm... thank you," I said, not being able to form complete thoughts.

"You're absolutely welcome," Athenodora replied sincerely. "What kind of wife would I be if I let my husband's brother's potential suitor go to the party looking out of place amongst the natural beautiful immortals?"

"... Can you say that three more times, really fast?"

"Come now, Aro is waiting."

* * *

**Aro's POV**

The craftsman whom I'd been in business with for many centuries placed the small box in my hand, and watched for my reaction.

I opened the box, and smiled. However, I quickly regained my composure, and said, "Thank you. This will do perfectly. Here is your payment."

I tossed him a bag filled with a generous amount of currency. He briefly examined the contents, before smiling a white, gleaming smile and bowing respectfully. Then, the craftsman turned and left.

Jane, Alec, Santiago, Felix, and Renata, all dressed exquisitely, watched me curiously as I sat on my throne, fumbling the box back and forth between my hands. Caius and Marcus, also dressed to their finest, and both seated next to me, gave me inquisitive side looks, but I ignored them all.

As Didyme entered the room, dressed in a breathtaking blood-red gown, I quickly put the box in an inside pocket of my best suit.

Didyme smiled, looking at none other than Marcus, who stood from his throne, and made his way down the few steps to the ground floor, quickly embracing Didyme. After giving her brief (completely-mushy) kiss, he pulled away, smiled, and said, "You look lovely, dearest."

Didyme's smile, if possible, grew wider. "Thank you, dearest husband."

I coughed, getting their attention. "Sister, you look every lovely."

Didyme nodded, "And you look very handsome, brother."

"Aro, you wanted to see me?"

I looked and saw Sulpicia entering the room, dressed formally, but not formal enough for the party. "Yes, Sulpicia, darling, come here."

Sulpicia, eyeing the guards in the room suspiciously, walked over to me, while Marcus politely escorted Didyme away from our conversation.

Sulpicia, surprised but not entirely overjoyed as most about my sister's return, spent the several past days sulking in the tower where Athenodora and her spent most of their time. Well, normally. Ever since Lilith arrived, Athenodora was granted some freedom (grudgingly) from Caius, who did not want to admit the little harm the human could bring.

I sighed dramatically, plotting out my words. "Darling, I need to speak to you frankly, and sincerely."

Sulpicia nodded, making it clear that she was listening.

"Sulpicia, dear... Let us not pretend, shall we?" I asked, my voice lowering slightly to give us a little more privacy. "I know that you have feelings for that _Michael,_ and I understand that perfectly," I added quickly, after she opened her mouth to protest. When she finally closed her mouth once more, I continued, "Let us be honest to ourselves- we really aren't meant to be."

"... Are you divorcing me?" Sulpicia asked, breathless with shock.

"... I do believe it is time for us to go our separate ways, yes."

Sulpicia gasped, but that gasp quickly turned into an angry snarl. "_You _are leaving _me?"_

I rolled my eyes, knowing that the tantrum was about to occur.

"You... You _pig_! You dare leave me, your wife who has been faithful to you for all these centuries?!" Sulpicia demanded loudly, catching every else's attention.

I sighed. "Dear, remember what I said about honesty- Michael isn't exactly a priest whom you visited for confession."

Sulpicia's brow furrowed, and if she was still human, her whole face might have been cherry red. "I told you that it wasn't what is seemed!"

"Either way, you seemed to enjoy yourself very much," I said blankly, wondering why she was so upset. Sulpicia clearly had feelings for Michael, so what else was bothering her?

"You, oh you! You do not know what you are doing!" she shouted angrily, and by this point, everyone else was staring. "You are ruining my life! All my power, all the deeds I did to earn your favor... wasted!"

_Oh, that is it. Sulpicia, is afraid of losing her position of power as my wife... Well, some things come and some things go._

I gave her a moment to calm down. When she was less visibly angered, I said calmly, "I am giving you a chance for another life. Michael- who is still alive, by the way- is to be released. I want you two to leave here by morning's light, and never return."

Sulpicia merely frowned, at a loss for words. She opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by soft laughter.

Athenodora and Lilith entered the room, side by side, smiling. However, as if they sensed the tense atmosphere, they frowned once they entered the room, and Lilith looked towards Sulpicia and I apprehensively.

"This is the human girl your leaving me for, isn't it?" Sulpicia demanded, her voice once again raised. Angrily, she strode towards Lilith, but not before I put a restraining hand on her arm to stop any harm from coming to the poor girl. As if broken from her thoughts, Sulpicia turned back to me. "I do not see what the big deal is," she said calmly and quietly then, once again looking at Lilith. "She is nothing special."

The room was awkwardly quiet. "I want you to leave," I insisted then, my tone leaving little room for argument.

Sulpicia, quite familiar with that tone, roughly yanked her arm free of my grip. "Michael and I will take our leave," she announced. As she walked out of the room, she continued, "You will see Aro. Good fortune such as this will only last for so long. That girl will die, whether it be by your will or not, and you will not be able to stop it." And with that, Sulpicia was gone.

I turned my focus back to Lilith, who wore a look of pure worry. I slowly walked towards her, which instantly grabbed her attention. Once I reached her, I carefully picked up her hand, before placing a feather-light kiss upon it. "You look absolutely marvelous, my dear."

Her expression changed very quickly, leaving almost no traces of her discontent. She blushed deeply. "Thank you, Aro." Still, by the tone of her voice, what Sulpicia had said disturbed her.

* * *

**Lilith's POV**

"... Athenodora said you wanted to speak to me," I told Aro quietly, slightly unnerved by what just happened.

Aro nodded. "Yes. At the ceremony tonight, I will announce to the guard of your purpose here. Does this suit you?"

By the way he asked, it was almost as if I actually had a choice. "You will do what you will."

He understood. "Very well. Are you nervous?"

I hesitated, before slowly nodding.

"Don't be," Aro replied, patting my hand reassuringly. "Everyone will love to meet you."

_More like love to _eat _me._

Aro frowned, and I knew he heard my thought. Sighing, Aro tiredly said, "Lilith, I've already promised you- no harm will come to you from any others."

"But can you promise the same from yourself?" I challenged, losing control of my tongue.

Aro looked at me disbelievingly. "What do you mean?"

"You just left your wife..." I told him. I lowered my voice, quietly enough so that only he could hear, "I agreed to stay with you... but could you promise me that you would not leave me or have me killed after I have done what you ask of me? I cannot be sure of this, especially after witnessing _that._"

Aro leaned closer towards me, his blood red eyes bearing into my own. "And what would make you sure of my intentions?"

I whispered, almost breathlessly from a mixture of fear and twisted delight, "Prove that they are sincere."

He opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by Renata, who hurriedly entered the room.

"Master, the first guests have arrived," she announced.

Aro smiled wickedly.

* * *

**Aro's POV**

Once all the guests had arrived, I looked out at my beloved guards and extended family. I stood from my seat upon my throne, as did my brothers. Athenodora retained a regal composure as she stood beside her husband, but Didyme could not be prevented from entwining Marcus' right arm with her own.

Lilith stood silently next to me, a solemn expression on her face.

"Friends, family," I announced theatrically, "You are all invited her today to witness the return of my beloved sister, and loyal wife of one of your kind-hearted rulers, I present, my sister, Didyme."

Didyme, as rehearsed, stepped forward.

Guard members and guests alike frowned, some even going as far as to rub their eyes for clarity. Then, they whispered amongst themselves for a few moments.

"Before you ask how this may be," I continued, sensing confusion, "I have recently obtained another member who has willingly chosen to join the guard. It is by her efforts that this process was possible, and she will ensure that your beloved leaders- Marcus, Caius, and I- will always, for eternity, rule you fairly with justice in mind. "

It was silent, until a lone person began to clap.

Everyone else was soon to follow.

As the echoing of clapping, cheering, and the sound of victory alike echoed throughout the throne room and filled my ears, I remembered. "I have also invited you here to share with you news about how the Volturi will once again ensure our claim as the leading authority among our kind."

The crowd quieted, anxious to hear. I looked back at Lilith, and held a hand out for her to take. She did, and I led her forward slightly, basically presenting her before the crowd of piercing red eyes.

"This is Lilith Costa, a human girl, yes. But she is soon to be more than that," I said, loving my dramatic pauses and the effects they had on my subjects. "Soon, Lilith is to give me a child- a half mortal and half immortal child, who will help Marcus, Caius and I establish our throne and ruling for millennia to come. Also, this child will be key to finally silencing our enemies, namely, the Olympic coven, who dared to question our absolute authority."

The guards and guests all knew about the Cullens, and the event in which we encountered Renesmee, and disapproved of it all. Curiously enough, now that the Volturi would have a hybrid child of their own, this pleased them greatly.

The room was again erupted with cheers.

* * *

**Lilith's POV**

The crowd had moved from the throne room to a more open party-area, and I recognized it as the room that Athenodora had taken me to when I first met her.

I was escorted by Aro into the room, but he soon excused himself and went to speak to some guests, leaving me alone with Athenodora.

"Why didn't you tell me what Aro had planned for you?" Athenodora demanded, and her harsh tone surprised me.

"I didn't want to believe it myself-"

"-But you knew, didn't you? How long have known?" she demanded, her words drenched in raw fury.

"... A while," I admitted, surprisingly ashamed, even though I had no idea why she was so angered by this.

"I cannot believe this," Athenodora said disbelievingly.

"I-I didn't think i-it was t-that important-"

"-Not important? Hm? Not _important?!" _she practically shrieked.

I quivered.

Suddenly, she took a deep, calming breath. "Well, I suppose I should have known that Aro would conjure up something like this. Now, if you'll excuse me, I am going to go socialize with my _friends._"

I frowned, slightly offended, as Athenodora stalked off. A quick tap on the shoulder broke me out of my confused gaze.

Renata looked at me questioningly, "What is wrong?"

"... Athenodora yelled at me, and I don't know why," I answered quietly.

Renata sighed. "I see. I see how she is upset by this."

"Why is she upset?" I demanded. "What did I do?"

"It is nothing that you did," Renata argued. "It is something that you will do. You see, even before Mistress Athenodora chose this life to be with Master Caius, she has always longed for children of her own. And immortals- we women are not built to carry children after our transformation. Why do you think Aro chose you, a human, to fulfill this quest of his?"

I frowned even deeper, and said quietly, "Oh."

"Yes," Renata said. "Well, excuse me, but I am off to consume some of that delicious looking _wine,_" she said suggestively, before leaving as quickly as Athenodora had.

_Lovely, Aro- now everyone despises me and thinks of me as a joke._

* * *

I spent the rest of the evening sitting at a table in the corner of the room, not trusting any bystanders to be standing behind me. There were no words for how uncomfortable I felt.

The only morsel of happiness I found the rest of the evening was the group of classical musicians, who played many familiar pieces beautifully. I watched in awe as they played notes in perfection.

The guests and guards had taken to socializing, as well as dancing. They twirled in and out, weaving pas tone another gracefully, as only immortals could. They all looked majestic and regal- which left me feeling even more insecure.

I saw Athenodora several times more over the course of the evening, but she would notice my stare and frown, before walking away.

I cold hand was placed lightly over my own, which rested upon the table, and I jumped.

"Would you like to get some fresh air?" Aro asked softly.

* * *

**Aro's POV**

Lilith and I walked through the gardens, and her thoughts drifted towards curiosity as to why she was always brought here.

"Something troubles you," I told her.

She shrugged. "It is nothing, I suppose."

"Are you certain?"

"There is nothing that I am completely certain of these days," she said.

When she spoke no further, I took advantage of the situation and dived into her thoughts, seeking the problem. "Ah... I see Athenodora is feeling discontent about the situation you are in."

Lilith nodded, knowing what I had done.

"Think little of it, my dear," I reassured her. "She is not angry with you- and she will soon realize this herself. I believe, if I were to vouch upon such a thing, that she is merely angry with herself for choosing the life she did."

"She is angry for choosing to be with the one whom she loves?" Lilith questioned, sarcastically almost.

"Being in love always has setbacks," I stated simply. "It is a shame, really."

Lilith said nothing more, and her gaze fell to the ground.

_I am losing her trust... and fast. Think!_

* * *

**Lilith's POV**

Aro grabbed my hand, and I almost shivered from the coldness of it combined with the chill that lurked in the air.

"Lilith?"

I looked at him, skeptically.

"You told me you wanted to prove that my intentions were sincere , correct?," Aro asked.

I nodded, unsure of wear he was going with this.

"What would you say if I told you that I could?"

I frowned. "Aro, you can say that you love me a million times- and it 'love' will still simply be just a word. I cannot be sure that you really mean it, and it is because of this that I am angry with myself for falling in love with you," I told him.

"You shouldn't be ashamed that you love me, you would not be the first who did," Aro said, jokingly arrogant.

"Yes, and where are they?"

His smile faded. "Dead."

"Exactly," I said. "It is stupid, really- I've only known you for a few weeks. I should not feel this way, and if you are sincere about your feelings as well, you should not either."

"Why not?" Aro questioned. "Romeo knew Juliet for but a few days."

"Yes, and they are both dead."

"Well, I am dead."

"It is not the same."

Aro shook his head, disapproving of my concerns, apparently. "Lilith, I can prove my intentions clear if you want me to. If you really, really want me to. The decision is yours alone to make, so that you are comfortable in sealing your own fate, and that you will know that however you meet the end of your mortal days, may it be death or immortality, you alone ultimately made the decision."

I looked at him, to see if I could sense lies. I didn't. "Prove it."

Aro half-smiled, and whether it was joy or malice was undetectable. He reached into his suit pocket, and pulled something out. It was a small box.

I shook my head. "No, this isn't-"

Aro kneeled, on one knee, and I shook my head again.

"Lilith Costa," he said slowly, opening the box, "I am asking you to be my wife, and co-ruler of my family. I want to prove to you that you will be safe in Volturi, no matter how long you stay. I want others to know that I am serious, delusional as well, possibly, but quite serious, about choosing _you _over any other to help me fulfill my plan. Will you marry me?"

I looked at the glimmering, silver banned, small and circular aquamarine-stoned ring being presented to me.

_Maybe I will die doing what Aro asks of me. But damn it, I am going to die happy._

"No," I answered.

"Lilith-"

"I am joking. Yes."

* * *

**PLEASE REVIEW, IT IS THE ONLY WAY I KNOW IF YOU ENJOY THIS STORY OR NOT!**

**... What is Aro thinking? :)**


	12. Engagements

**Thanks for the reviews :)**

**Hoped you guys enjoyed that last chapter. I tried to make it believable (and I did the same thing for this one).**

***** I changed the Volturi Guard number. Actually, it is around 30-40 (I think), but I changed the number to a much higher amount. I figured that even though they all aren't mentioned, the Volturi would basically have an army that would be kept secret within Volterra. I don't know. :)**

* * *

**Aro's POV**

I sat, on my throne, thinking of things to come. I dismissed all guards, leaving me alone to the peace and quiet.

"Aro, I need to speak with you at once."

Caius' determined tone broke me from my lingering thoughts, and I almost jumped in my seat. "Of, course, Caius. What has occurred?"

"I will tell you this- by knowing you will keep it secret as long as it needs to be- I have found a human that will help me hold up my end of the plan, Aro."

My eyes widened slightly with surprise. "You are serious, brother?"

Caius nodded. "Though I will not hesitate to add that I do not plan to replace my wife in the same matter as you have done. This human has one purpose to me, and will be properly disposed of when she has fulfilled that purpose. Athenodora will _always _be my mate, as I am sure you might have guessed."

I nodded understandingly. As Caius turned to leave, I stopped him. "I truly do hope though, Caius, that you will attend the wedding."

Caius visibly scowled, but said, "I will see what I am able to do. I have no doubt that Athenodora will attend, but as for myself, I find the event quite silly."

"Perhaps," I agreed, "But it is what she wants, even if she has not voiced this aloud. And if Lilith is to be my new wife, I want to please her."

Caius threw me knowing glance before leaving, presumably to return to his wife.

A small wedding ceremony- small meaning only the members of the guard, which, admittedly, was over a hundred- was planned to take place in a week's time. I wanted to assure Lilith that I would not replace her, even though she technically was a replacement herself. She continued to have some doubts about the marriage, but she never denied _wanting _to be wed.

I had persuaded Lilith to see a physician, just to ensure that she was indeed in good health and good bare me a child with little difficulty. After explaining that it was necessary, she finally gave in. The physician only confirmed good news. Lilith was a virgin- that much I had accurately guessed- and was in good health.

Athenodora, despite her current slight contempt for Lilith, readily volunteered to organize the event, much like she had done with planning the previous party several weeks ago. Though she regularly informed me of her preparations, I had not seen her for quite a few days, leaving me slightly in the dark, but I found spending time with Lilith to be a great distraction.

I gave Lilith unimaginable freedom by simply unlocking her door. She was allowed to leave her room whenever she pleased. However, I still had guards placed at the only exit, simply for safety.

Since Athenodora hadn't spoken to her for several days after the night of the party, my sister had taken in interest in spending time with Lilith as well. Though at first I was hesitant, knowing what they would most likely discuss- me- I saw a special twinkle of happiness in Lilith's eyes after spending time with Didyme. After all, my sister had that effect on everyone. I couldn't bring myself to deny Lilith another's company when I could not provide it myself.

A knock on the door pulled me from my musings. I sat up straighter, and called, "Come in."

Jane opened the door and entered the room, trailed by Santiago, Felix, Chelsea, Heidi, and Corin. Jane carried something in her hands, a sealed envelope, and approached me quietly. After a bow of respect, she handed me the envelope and then returned to her place beside Santiago and Felix.

I eyed the envelope curiously before proceeding to open it. I read the words on the page, and smiled. "Wonderful," I commented aloud. Then, I put the informative paper back in the envelope and put the envelope in one of my suit's pockets.

"You called us, Master?" Jane reminded me politely.

I nodded in confirmation. "Yes, I did. Pray tell, where is Alec?"

"He assisted Demetri with taking the newborn hunting," Jane replied neutrally. "I expect them to be back any moment."

As if on cue, echoing of opening doors slamming against the walls reached our ears.

"I have summoned you here to properly introduce you to my fiancé," I announced patiently, still waiting for more guards- and Lilith- to arrive. "I trust that you select few above all others will treat the girl with respect. After all, she is soon to be your new Mistress."

Jane said nothing. I could tell by her plain look that she felt indifferent towards Lilith. I could not blame her, as I was not interested in assuring that all of the guards _like _Lilith necessarily, but they were going to treat her with respect at the very least, or succumb to punishment.

The doors opened once more, but this time they opened softly. A quiet pattering of worn sneakers against the stone floor reminded me that Lilith would need a new wardrobe soon. She was free to express herself by choosing her own clothing (I wouldn't dream of having it otherwise), but she at least needed to _look _the part of the Volturi's new queen. First impressions were everything, after all.

Lilith quietly walked around my three guards, and stopped before the platform stairs. I smiled and stood from my seat, then proceeded to walk down the stairs. I gave Lilith a brief kiss before asking, "My dear, how was your day?"

Lilith smiled, her blush not going unnoticed, and replied confidentially, "It has been going well, thank you. I am supposed to be meeting Didyme within the hour."

"Then I shall not keep you here for long," I assured her.

The doors opened again, and this time Alec and Demetri entered the room. The each took standing positions beside Jane.

I turned to Lilith, "I wanted you to meet my most trusted guards. If you ever need anything, do not hesitate to ask any of them."

Lilith nodded, but I knew that she would avoid contact for the most part with them unless unnecessary. She was still overcoming some trust issues, it seemed.

"You should at least strive to remember their names," I continued. "You will learn more about them individually over time. But for now, I feel it is best not to overwhelm you."

I gestured to Corin. "This is Corin. Corin, this is Lilith."

Corin shot me a curious glance, and probably wondered why I had not called upon her to use her _gift _on Lilith. Nevertheless, Corin bowed politely. "It is a pleasure to meet you. I look forward to serving you."

* * *

**Lilith's POV**

The girl whom Aro introduced as Corin was tall, and quite slim. Her fiery red hair that fell in waves down her back immediately caught my attention, but I assumed that everyone else had already grown accustomed to it. _I mean, who knows how long she has lived here. Or any of them, for that matter._

The next girl was introduced as Heidi. I took a double take as I briefly thought her to be some celebrity whose name escaped me. I could easily picture her on the front of a magazine. In fact, she looked soperfect and unreal it started to slightly trouble me.

Chelsea reminded me of Renata. She was polite and formal as she introduced herself. She probably stood not much taller than I, and her brown and blonde mixed hair fell just past her shoulders.

Santiago reminded me of a criminal on an old TV show that I used to watch. Not the obvious psychopathic killer, but the sort of quiet evil genius that no one would suspect to hurt a fly.

Felix was... intimidating, for a lack of words. He seemed muscular, more than usual for an immortal in my opinion when compared to the others. He seemed formal enough upfront, but something told me that he would not hesitate to rip someone's head off if they wronged him.

As Aro introduced Alec and Jane as twins, I forced myself not to look at them oddly. They appeared to be several years younger than I, though I knew this not to be true. Alec's face seemed apathetic almost, while Jane appeared to be glaring at me. However, I knew that this must not have been true, as Aro would have told her not to be impolite if that had been her intention. Jane, despite her innocent, younger appearance, could kill in a moment, and I did not need to be informed to know this. That said fact made me extremely nervous and wary of her. I suppose, if I tried, I could reason why Aro trusted her- she would kill in a moment to protect the Volturi, and Aro probably found her loyalty essential.

"And last, but certainly not least, Demetri," Aro informed me.

Demetri said nothing, but bowed politely.

"He has been taking care of your sister," Aro added.

I did a double take. "You have?"

Demetri nodded.

"How is she? Is she alright?"

Demetri nodded again, "She is doing average, given her condition."

"Condition?" I questioned. "What-"

"-Later, Lilith. Later," Aro interrupted, trying to cover his rudeness with a promise of explanation at a later time. He then turned to look at the rest of his guards. "Thank you, you may be dismissed."

As polite as they had been, they couldn't seem to flee the room fast enough.

"Aw, think nothing of it my dear," Aro commented softly, reaching up to lightly caress my cheek for a moment. "They have business of their own to attend to, much like myself. Jane brought me a letter that encourages me to leave on a business trip for a few days."

"Again?" I asked, slightly worried as to what- or whom, rather- Aro would bring back. The last time he left on a business trip, he returned with Rosemary, and her situation only added more concerns and stressed me out more than I had been.

Aro nodded. "I will not be bringing back any of your relatives, I assure you."

"Oh. I understand," I replied, quiet.

"Lilith, my dear, please do not pout, it does not suit you."

I frowned. "But I wasn't-"

"Not intentionally, you weren't," Aro clarified, looking towards his hand, which had been entwined with my own, and I had not even noticed. "You cheat when you do that," I accused, playfully.

Aro shook his head, and laughed. "I do not even know what you speak of." He wrapped his arms around me, before pressing a kiss to the top of my head. However, he froze.

"What is it?" I asked, turning around to see what Aro was looking at.

It was Demetri, hovering underneath the doorway.

Aro removed his arms from around me. "Go on now, I am sure Didyme is waiting for you," he suggested, though his tone left no room for argument. When I did not move, Aro urged, "Go on, my dear. I will make an effort to see you before I leave."

Defeated, I left the room.

* * *

**Aro's POV**

After Lilith was out of the room, and the door shut behind her, I looked at Demetri.

"Forgive me Master- I did not want to interrupt," Demetri apologized.

I dismissed his apology with a wave. "It happens. You wanted to tell me something, I assume?"

Demetri nodded. "Yes. It is about Rosemary."

"Ah, yes," I smiled, "I know you told Lilith that she is doing well, but is she really?"

"Yes, actually," Demetri confessed. "Actually, in my opinion, and with your permission, of course, I believe she will be able to attend the wedding, for an hour or so, at the very least."

"Really? I questioned, slightly surprised. "That is good news. I assume her newborn thirst is starting to be quenched, then?"

Demetri nodded. "Yes, Master. It surprises me."

I laughed lightly. "It surprises me as well," I confessed. "Well, how does the girl behave otherwise?"

Demetri, slightly confused by this question, replied, "She is well-behaved, I guess. She is actually good company."

I looked at him, as if in a new light, and said with confidence, "You have grown quite fond of her, haven't you?"

Demetri nodded meekly. "Um yes," he cleared his throat. "That is what I came to talk to you about, you see. I think… I think she is my mate."

I smiled, and clapped my hands together once in joy. "How splendid! I am glad you came to me, as I honestly did not have the slightest indication of your feelings towards her! Well, now that I think about, you _do _spend a lot of time with her recently, it seems."

If my kind could blush, Demetri certainly would have been.

"Anyways, I suppose you want to know if such an arrangement sits well with me, correct?"

"Yes."

I thought about it briefly, before declaring, "Yes, I suppose that is alright. The girl can be your mate, as long as she wants you to be hers as well."

Demetri smiled, "Thank you, Master."

"It is not trouble to me, dear Demetri. I would like an update however, when I return in a few days, regarding if you still believe Rosemary to be capable of attending the wedding. It would mean so much to Lilith if her sister were able to be there."

"Then I will do my best to ensure that she is allowed to be," Demetri promised.

"I know you will," I told him. "Go on now- I am sure Rosemary will want to hear the news."

* * *

**Lilith's POV**

I approached Marcus' study carefully. Didyme was expecting me to meet with her there, but Marcus, despite his seemingly polite nature, was still a leader beside Aro and Caius, who could both be intimidating in their own right.

I knocked cautiously on the door.

"Come in!" I heard Didyme call.

I opened the door quietly and slowly, and entered in the same matter. The door shut behind me.

"Oh, Lilith, come- sit."

Didyme beckoned to me from her place on a luxurious leather sofa. Marcus sat behind a slightly intimidating, finished, desk, reading a book lying upon the surface. An elegant chandelier Book shelves surrounded the walls of the room, and each were filled completely with books, which gave off the illusion that the ceilings were much taller than they probably were. A roaring fire in the fireplace along the right wall tied the room together nicely.

I did as beckoned. Didyme reached towards a coffee table in front of the sofa, and picked up two glasses that contained clear liquid.

"Water?" she offered. I took one, and she sipped from the other.

Much to my surprise, vampires could consume water. After learning this though, I was able to reason through it- water was to them how water is to humans. They could drink it, but there were tastier items to drink- like soda for humans, and blood for vampires. Didyme (to my delight) was too polite to drink blood in front of me.

"I spoke to your sister, earlier," Didyme stated conversationally.

"Demetri said that she was alright," I replied. "Is this true?"

"Oh, yes, Demetri would know," Didyme laughed on the side, and missed the look of confusion I gave her. "Yes, she is well. She misses you. She says that you and her had a falling out before the _event _occurred."

I nodded, but looked at Marcus briefly.

"Don't worry," Didyme interjected when she caught my gaze. "He gets very involved with his reading, and our comments will not disturb him in the slightest."

With Didyme's reassurance, I relaxed. "Yes, we got into a fight."

Didyme carefully commented, "I will not pry- I will only inform you that if you need to talk, I am willing to listen."

I smiled. "Thank you. Actually, it is odd that we fought at all. We were always close- until a few years ago, when she was sent away."

Didyme nodded, but did not ask any more questions, meaning that Rosemary had informed her already or she knew that it was not her business. "It seems that you are both sorry, whatever your fight was about. She should be completely stable in a few weeks."

_A few weeks? _"Oh, I see."

"Don't worry," Didyme said, as if she had read my thoughts. "Demetri is working with her to the best of his abilities, and hopes that you will be able to speak to her soon. In the meantime, tell me- my brother, he treats you well, yes?"

I blushed slightly. "Yes. He treats me with utmost respect."

"As he should," Didyme agreed. "Especially with what he asks of you. I have to admit, I was concerned at first, and slightly skeptical, I will admit. But in these past few weeks, I can see that he defiantly feels some sort of attachment for you."

"Well, that is good- we are to be married next week."

Didyme half-smiled. "Oh, perhaps it is not complete, devoted love that he harbors for you just yet, but it is defiantly developing to become so, and such a thing is irreversible with mates."

"Mates?" I questioned.

"Yes… Did he not tell you? Aro believes that you are his mate."

"I thought Sulpicia was his mate?"

"Correction- she was his wife."

"I am confused," I confessed.

Didyme laughed, "It is alright. A mate is something beyond simple matrimony and sexual desire… it is almost_ magical."_

As good-intentioned as Didyme was, the way she said magical made me fight to not roll my eyes. "And Aro suspects that I am his mate?"

Didyme nodded. "If it any consolation, I believe you are mated as well. I see the way you two look at each other."

I blushed slightly, and cleared my throat. "Well, what am I to do? I had no other choice…"

"Are you saying that you regret meeting my brother?"

"No."

"That is why I believe that you are mates."

* * *

**Aro's POV**

I met with Lilith later in the evening, in order to exchange farewells- my business trip needed to be tended to immediately.

She was in her room. I knocked, and she allowed me to enter. Immediately, I sensed that something was off.

"Something is on your mind," I announced.

Lilith hesitated, and then nodded. "Yes."

"What troubles you?" I questioned, sitting her down on the bed, and sitting beside her.

"You think that we are mated," she said plainly.

"Does this bother you?" I asked.

"No, not really… but how come you married Sulpicia if you were not mates?"

_Good question._ "I thought Sulpicia and I _were _mates."

"You mean you didn't know?" Lilith asked, clearly confused.

I shook my head, and sighed dramatically. "Mates… are confusing. Mates are a onetime only occurrence. You are only given one true mate in life… or in death, depending how you look upon it. I only assumed that Sulpicia and I were mates because I had no frame of reference concerning that matter."

"Then why should I believe that we are mates?" she asked. She (unfortunately) had a point.

"Because," I said. "I cannot force you to believe anything- but _I _believe we are mates. That is all I can tell you." After another quick sigh, I pressed a quick kiss to Lilith's temple and stood up, before walking towards the door. "Only time will tell, I am afraid. Do not fret, my dear- next week we are to be wed."

"Wait, Aro," Lilith called as I had my fingers clenched around the door handle. I released my grip, and turned to face her-

-And was slightly taken aback when she wrapped her arms around my waist- tight (well, tight for a human)- and pressed the side of her face against my chest. As I looked down at her, she reminded me of a child, almost. But I didn't really mind. "What is this?" I asked, amused.

She realized what she was doing, and tried to redeem herself by loosening her grip and pretending it hadn't happened. "Nothing," she muttered, avoiding my eyes. "I'm just… I'll miss you."

I laughed lightly, and tilted her chin up towards me. When I finally caught her gaze, I replied softly, "I'll miss you too, my dear."

I gave her a tender kiss and a brief yet loving embrace before leaving.

* * *

**Lilith's POV**

The following day, Athenodora actually spoke to me.

"I am sorry, Lilith- I have been acting childish lately. Would you forgive me?"

After explaining that there was nothing to forgive and I understood her predicament, we discussed details for the wedding. It was nothing much, in retrospect- Athenodora asked what certain styles I liked (for my dress, I assumed), but being the oh-so-ridiculously-marvelous-fashionista I was (_pft, yeah right)_ I had slight difficulty translating my mental images into proper words. However, I think she was able to decipher enough information to put to use. She assured me that everything about the wedding was being handled, and all I literally had to do was to show up.

"But, Renata, Didyme, and I will be arriving early in the morning to ready you, of course," Athenodora said.

I did a double take. "I thought the wedding is arranged to be in the evening- why are you preparing me in the morning?"

"Because, if we did not start in the morning, we would not finish in time for the wedding!" Athenodora laughed, as if it was obvious.

I mentally slapped myself.

* * *

After Athenodora's and I's discussion, I decided to find the kitchens, and speak to Oliver, since I hadn't seen him for a few weeks- if not months. Somehow I knew he was the one that continued to prepare my meals.

However, as I walked by the secretary, I noticed something- there was no guard patrolling the exit.

The secretary eyed me nervously as I looked at the exit.

_Is this some trick of Aro's? It must be…_ Still, the secretary made no move to stop me and said nothing. _… Freedom is right there… But I will not allow Aro the satisfaction of catching me escaping._

I turned, and continued on my mini-adventure to the kitchen.

* * *

Aro returned three days later, with two new strangers in tow.

I had gone to the entrance to meet him.

"Ah, Lilith!" Aro called delightfully once he saw me.

I walked over to him, quickly hugging him. He gave me a kiss, and I blushed- as I always did when others (especially strangers) saw him do that.

"I've brought some guests with me, and they will be staying for a while," Aro announced, gesturing to the man and woman natives standing behind him.

The man was very tall, and had a younger appearance to him, even for a vampire. His copper skin and dark hair gave off a certain sense of youth that even vampires like Aro lacked, and this confused me. The woman stood close to the man, almost protectively, and looked at me, almost pitifully, which only added to the confusion I had.

"This is Nahuel," Aro announced, gesturing to the man.

The man in turn nodded politely. "It is good to meet you," he replied, though his kind words betrayed his wary and neutral tone.

Then, Aro said, "And this is his mother's sister, Huilen."

The woman reached forward for my hand, which I could not pull away in time, and gave me a desperate look. Carefully choosing her tone by not pleading yet not completely dismissing her concern, she said rather cryptically, "I hope you are well, Lilith. Aro has told me about you."

I tried my best to be polite, but I was sure she had seen my look of sheer confusion that I could not hide.

* * *

**Aro's POV**

I wanted to have dinner with Lilith later that evening, to share my thoughts with her.

"I see you were able to occupy yourself," I said conversationally, as I sipped a glass of wine, and Lilith forked her plate of spaghetti absent mindedly.

"Oh, uh, yes," she replied.

"Something on your mind?" I asked.

She shook her head quickly. "It is nothing."

"It is not nothing if it is distracting you so," I argued lightly.

Lilith shrugged. "Just thinking, is all."

I let the matter go. When all fell quiet, and I said bluntly, "You did not leave."

She looked me in the eyes then. "Did you expect me to?"

"I hoped you wouldn't," I confessed.

She seemed satisfied enough with my answer. "I am sure you would have had guards bring me back here anyways."

I said nothing, letting her think that that was the truth. Honestly, I'd forgotten to post guards by the doors at all, and if Lilith _had _left, she would've been long gone before anyone noticed.

"Do you enjoy your food? You aren't eating much," I noted.

She nodded quickly. "Yes. Oliver is an extremely talented chef."

"Is he?" I asked, interested. "I had thought that it was soon time to replace him."

Lilith froze in fear. "What did you say?"

I shrugged. "I thought that maybe you would like another chef to cook-"

"-Please don't kill him!"

Lilith's desperate plea immediately grabbed my attention, and I relented. "Of course I will not now, since it troubles you. If I may ask, why do you wish to keep him around?"

Lilith bowed her head meekly. "It's just… Well, I figured, our child _is _to be half-human… perhaps he or she will have a preference for human food."

_Hm… Interesting._ "I haven't thought of that," I confessed, surprising myself.

"Plus- you know, crazy women during pregnancies- they say that they have the strangest food cravings, and Oliver really doesn't seem to mind…" Lilith became nervous, and she began to ramble.

"Are you warning me to expect you to adapt to an odd diet when you are pregnant?" I asked humorously.

Lilith half-blushed. "Well… I do not know… I cannot honestly say I have ever been pregnant."

"Which is a good thing for me to know," I commented absently, finishing off my glass of blood. I set about pouring myself another from a bottle on the table.

"Speaking of which…" Lilith started, but then trailed off.

"Yes?" I pried.

"It is silly of me to ask."

"Go ahead."

"I was just wondering… I suppose you will choose a name for the child?" Lilith said, eyeing me nervously.

"Actually, I am leaving that decision to you," I informed her, as I took another sip of my second glass of blood.

"What?"

I nodded patiently. "Yes, my dear. I figured that it was the least I could do. If you want to name the child, then you will name the child. If you want my assistance, I will gladly be of service. Have you thought of any?"

She shook her head.

"Of course," I added, in an attempt to be humorous, "You may choose the name as long as you do not choose some Hill-Billy-American name. Is that the proper term? Oh, well. Anyways, I do not believe a name like Cotton Eyed Joe to be as intimidating as it should be for the son of the leader of the Volturi, am I correct?"

Lilith laughed. "Rest assured, I will not choose a name like that."

"And for that I am thankful, _amore mio_," the words quickly slipped from my tongue.

"What does that mean?" Lilith questioned innocently, catching my Italian at the end of my reply.

"It means, 'My Love'."

* * *

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	13. New Lilith

**THANK YOU GUYS, YOU ROCK!  
**

**Yay, 'the' chapter! Not sure if I should change the rating (there is nothing explicit, but come on- you **_**know **_**what is going on) so if you think I should, let me know.**

**LONGEST CHAPTER TO DATE! :)**

**Enjoy :)**

* * *

"She's dead," Renata announced, her voice barely above a whisper.

Didyme threw a hand over her mouth in shock. Athenodora stepped closer to the bed, looking upon the pale form which lay limp carefully.

"She can't be dead," Athenodora protested. "She was fine last night-"

"She must have passed sometime in the evening," Renata decided. Then, she cried, "What are we going to tell Master?!"

Athenodora cursed. "We will have to think of a way to break it to him gently."

"I suppose that will go over extremely well," Didyme snapped sarcastically, her worry overtaking her usual joyful persona. "_Aro, we are truly sorry to tell you this, but Lilith mysteriously died over night._ I know my brother- he will not take this lightly! He will assume that one of the guards or even one of us had something to do with this!"

"Who is to say that they did not?" Athenodora asked, eyeing Renata.

Renata looked at her incredulously. "Are you implying-"

"Well, you _were _the last one to speak to her!"

Didyme frowned. "Fighting will solve nothing- we must think of what we are going to tell Aro!"

"How _dare _you accuse me of killing her!" Renata snapped. "I wouldn't even dream of harming her, because she was supposed to marry Master Aro and therefore she would be my Mistress! Besides, Master would suspect me, and he would read my thoughts! I would not be so careless with my plans if I killed her, but I assure you that I did not!"

Athenodora rolled her eyes. "It doesn't matter- if you really wanted her dead, you would have killed her anyways, even if it resulted in her own death!"

"Girls, please-"

"And what about you, Mistress? You were the one who gave the girl a cold shoulder when she needed a friend."

Didyme shouted "Stop, stop it now!", but it did no good. Athenodora and Renata started fighting each other. Limbs flailed to and fro in all sorts of directions.

"Enough!" Didyme said, moving to stand between the two. Unfortunately, this was the wrong decision. In a death grip that was meant for Renata, Athenodora's hands gripped Didyme's neck, and with a swift pull, her head flew off from her body, and towards a wall, where it hit with a sickening **thud**.

* * *

**THUD… THUD… THUD…**

My eyes opened immediately, and I sucked in air as if I'd been holding my breath. I sat up quickly, my eyes scanning the room, and to my happiness, I saw no dismembered body parts.

"Lilith!"

Someone was calling from outside the door, and the thuds I heard were knocks.

"Lilith, are you okay? We've been knocking for five minutes. Are you decent?"

I rolled my eyes. _Yes, because as enough danger as I am in, I would risk sleeping in the nude. _"I'm fine," I called, throwing my legs over the side of the bed, and standing up.

I walked over to the door, and pulled it open.

Athenodora was standing there, tapping her foot impatiently. "There you are," she said dramatically. "I was beginning to think you would never wake up."

I laughed nervously, thinking about the nightmare I had.

Renata stood behind her, various beauty products piled into her arms, threatening to fall to the floor at any given moment.

I stepped aside quickly, and ushered them inside.

Renata hastily scrambled over to the bed, before unceremoniously dropping everything she had been holding on to it. She made a not very well hidden sigh of relief, to be funny, I guessed, as I knew that vampires had extraordinary strength.

"Well," Athenodora said, walking over to the bed and beginning to skim through its contents, "I hope you had a final night of good sleep, and I hope this room served you well. I was the one who chose it for you. Ah, it seems like an age ago when Lilith was brought here, does it not, Renata? Where has the time gone?"

Renata nodded with a smile, confirming that my delusional nightmare was exactly that- delusional. _These two would never harm each other._

I gave her a confused look. "Final? Served?"

Athenodora paused, and looked at me slowly. "Yes. After tonight you will be staying with Aro, in his quarters."

Something about her statement made my heart sink. "With Aro?"

Athenodora nodded, but looked at me carefully. "Yes, after tonight you will be his wife, and it would seem odd for a wife not to share the same bed as her husband."

I nodded, telling her I understood, before I walked over to the couch and sat down. Athenodora's eyes never left my own as Renata politely pretended to ignore our conversation.

Athenodora said cautiously, "Lilith, you know the reason you were brought here." She cleared her throat. "You cannot conceive a child- *cough*- if you do not engage in sexual intercourse."

I fought to roll my eyes as I cringed. Athenodora's warning reminded me of a Sex-Ed class I had taken in high school. "You mean sex."

Athenodora nodded, "That is the shortened term of this day, yes. Are you telling me that you did not expect this?"

I shook my head furiously. "No, I've known. How could I not? But… I thought I'd have more time to get used to the idea."

"You've been engaged to Aro for several weeks, and from my knowledge have known about your purpose here even longer than that."

"Yes. But that doesn't make me any less nervous."

Athenodora suddenly smiled. "Ah, I see now- Lilith, I think you have the common nervousness that all brides-to-be experience."

"Are all brides-to-be expected to carry an immortal's child?"

"Fair enough," Athenodora agreed, her gaze returning to the objects upon the bed. "But look at it this way- Aro would never hurt you, because he loves you. And even if he did not love you, Aro would still not hurt you- he needs you to help him fulfill his plan."

"Yes, because that makes me feel a whole lot better."

"Shush now. We have a lot of work to do before 7 o'clock. First thing is first- you should go take a quick shower."

"What time is it now?"

"8:30 A.M."

"Seriously?" I gasped.

Athenodora nodded, and stared at me if I had grown two more heads. "Yes. Beauty requires time."

"What could you possibly do to me that would require 10 and a half hours?"

* * *

Apparently, they could do a lot.

As Athenodora fought to brush EVERY tangle and EVERY strand of my hair, I ground my teeth. Still, I managed to ask, "Is Didyme coming?"

"Yes," Athenodora replied, finally setting down the brush, much to my relief. "She should arrive within a few hours with your dress. I had a designer in northern Tuscany create the dress after I provided her with the design."

I tried not to look worried, but Athenodora was good at sensing distress. With a smile, she said, "Do not insult me- I have noticed your style of clothing, and have appropriately designed a gown that fits your usually color palette and overall style. If you do not believe me, Renata is my witness."

I looked to Renata, who nodded earnestly. "Yes- I believe that you will like it a lot. Mistress knew that you would not enjoy an over-the-top glamorous dress because of your simpler style and taste. Still, even if you do not prefer glamorous, she also thought that a traditional dress wouldn't do either. So she-"

"-Renata, do not tell the girl everything! I want to remember the look on her face when she sees it," Athenodora urged, laughing.

"So what exactly are you doing?" I asked skeptically, as Athenodora rummaged through the pile of beauty products on the bed.

"Giving you a new look," Athenodora answered, picking up a bottle, reading the label, and putting it back down. "I remember the women that Aro used to eye." I raised an eyebrow at her. "This was _before _he met you!" she quickly added. "Anyways, I thought that giving you a new style was fitting for your new life and could only help you."

* * *

It turns out that "giving me a new style" included perming my hair (with larger rollers, not the tiny ones, as Athenodora said I would look quite odd with tight curls) and dying it. I disagreed- I didn't think my hair would be able to withstand two cosmetic makeovers in such a short amount of time, but she assured me that she had done this several times to herself (which I also found odd, considered I couldn't mentally picture with any other color of hair besides blonde) and that it was completely safe, if done right.

I didn't argue that she was also an immortal who was graced with looking perfect all the time, no matter what the situation.

So I relented when Athenodora permed my hair, and I didn't dare to ask what color she was dyeing it. We had moved into the bathroom, and Athenodora had me sit on a stool in front of the mirror and countertop.

When she finished (the process taking way longer than what I would have liked), she waited for a half an hour or so, before telling me to carefully walk over to the shower so I could wash out my hair. This was a good thing, because I was starting to cough from the fumes.

Carefully dangling only my hair into the shower, Athenodora assisted me in washing the die and perm solution out of my hair. When she finished, she directed me back over to the stool but told me to sit opposite of what I had been, so I would not see my hair. This made me slightly nervous. When it was done, Renata was designated the task of cleaning up the shower, as black die was beginning to stain the bottom. It was clearly not the most fun task in the world, so I gave her an apologetic smile, which she dismissed with the waver of her hand.

Athenodora proceeded to comb though and tease my hair as necessary. When she finished, she smiled brightly. "There! Your hair is done. One of my best works to date, I assure you."

I smiled as well. "Great, so now all that's left is to put on the dress, right?"

"Wrong. Can't send you out without a little makeup, right?"

* * *

Athenodora took her time applying makeup to my face, even though I insisted that I could do the task myself.

She outlined my eyes with eyeliner, but skillfully- as if she was painting, and not applying makeup. I was fine with this, as I used to wear eyeliner every day. Then, she applied dark red lipstick, and this bothered me slightly- I had always thought lipstick was simply too messy to deal with, so I had never bothered with it before. As Athenodora noticed the frown I was attempting to conceal, she said, "Do not worry- it looks great. I will not put any blush on you, because you do enough of that without assistance. See? You are blushing right now."

Didyme entered the room then, carrying a large bag. She shut the door and hung the bag of the hook behind it. Then, she walked over to me. "She looks wonderful, Athenodora," Didyme complemented, looking over her unofficial sister in law's work. "Aro will be so pleased."

"That is the hope," Athenodora replied. "Now, it is 6:15. Time for the dress!"

Didyme walked back over to the door and removed the bag from the hook. "Sorry for the hold up- the seamstress ran out of tool!"

Athenodora laughed lightly, and it seemed to be a common, yet irritable problem. "That would be an issue, indeed."

Didyme unzipped the bag, and automatically I spotted black and red color. She placed the bag itself back on the hook, and removed the dress.

I smiled.

* * *

"There," Renata announced, as she finished tying the ribbons of corset ties in the back.

I was finally allowed to look at myself in the mirror, and when I did, I left out a shaky laugh of joy.

The dress was a ball gown style dress. The skirt of the dress was a basic black satin, but it divided along the left side, revealing a section of red satin. Another outer layer of thin black tulle lay over the full skirt. The top of the dress was strapless, the very top outlined in thin black tulle too, and was plain black satin as well. Renata tied a satin ribbon around my waist, completing the look. ( Inspired by: search?q=my+chemical+romance+helena+gown&hl=en&newwindow=1&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=c8xUUdmZD4qIygG7mIHYCw&ved=0CDMQsAQ&biw=1366&bih=643 )

My hair had been dyed raven black, very similar to Aro's and Didyme's. Loose curls of hair floated past my shoulders and down my back

My pale complexion worked with the color scheme quite nicely, and the lipstick even matched well with the red satin of the dress.

I was at a loss for words. "I do not know what to say… Thank you Athenodora, Renata, Didyme. I do not know how to repay you for this."

Athenodora smiled, "It is the least I can do for my future sister in law. Though, if you _did _want to repay me, I would not mind the title of godmother…"

I laughed, but said nothing. "What about you three? You aren't even dressed yet."

"Yes. We will go get ready now- it should not take us longer than five minutes, and return. In the meantime, enjoy some time to yourself," Didyme suggested.

The three left.

* * *

They returned, five minutes later, as promised.

All three wore elegant gowns. Athenodora, taking a break from her usually purple colors, wore a silver gown. Didyme wore a dark blue down, and it was Renata's turn to wear a red gown. Athenodora carried a long, black veil, Didyme carried a small black tiara, and Renata carried a bouquet of red roses.

As I was beginning to think that it was all too much, I decided not to say anything as Athenodora and Didyme fixed the veil and tiara into my hair and started fussing and gushing over my entire attire.

"We should go now- we only have fifteen minutes until the ceremony is set to start!"

"Don't forget shoes!" I said nervously, eyeing my own bare feet, and surprisingly theirs as well.

* * *

I was rushed quickly to the throne room, trying not to trip on my dress. The fact that I was able to avoid that made me feel slightly good about myself, since I had always had bad balance, and usually never wore heels because of this. I just hoped to whoever was listening that I did not fall walking up- or down- the isle.

The ball room doors were closed, but I could hear voices within. Before I could even ask why the ceremony was taking place, Renata shoved the bouquet of roses into my hands, and immediately straightened out the back of my dress and my veil, before finally checking my tiara.

"Why are so many people here?" I managed to ask.

"The entire guard is here, as well as a few guests. Aro wanted to basically present you again to the family, this time seriously. There will be no silly business. If _anyone,_ and I mean _anyone, _bothers you or gives you a hard time, do not bother going to Aro- come to me," Athenodora said. "I will take care of them myself. You obviously have enough to worry about without extra annoyance and stress."

Her intention was friendly enough, but the look in her eyes told me that she was serious about her threat.

"We are going to inside now," Athenodora decided a moment later. "When you hear the music start, that is your cue. The doors will be opened for you, and all you have to do is walk through. Simple enough, yes?"

I shook my head slightly, realizing that there was absolutely no going back. The ring on my finger made me all the more painfully aware. I had had little say in this ceremony, and I was starting to regret it. This was _my _wedding. Shouldn't I be enjoying it? "I feel like I am going to be sick."

While Didyme and Renata appeared to be slightly concerned, Athenodora laughed, "Oh, that is simply your nerves speaking."

_It could be, but I do not know if I want to stick around to know for sure. _"Are Aro and I the only two who will be standing in front of everyone?"

"Yes, there is no wedding party. You are lucky enough that you are getting this wedding!"

"But I didn't ask for-"

"-Relax, Lilith, I understand. Come now, let us take our seats." Athenodora shooed me over to one side of the hallway so I would not be seen, and then opened the door slightly ajar, just enough for the three to slip through quietly. She gestured for Didyme and Renata to follow her as she entered the throne room. Didyme followed, but I stopped Renata.

"Renata, if it is any consolation, I appreciate what you've done for me since I've been here," I told her sincerely. "If I _did _have a say, you would be my Maid of Honor."

Renata smiled. "Honestly, Mistress?"

"Yes," I nodded. "And do not call me Mistress."

"But that is who you are soon to become. It would be disrespectful of me to not refer to you by your official title," Renata politely argued.

I shook my head. "Mistress means something else in today's culture," I whispered quietly. "Fine, if you must, refer to me by Mistress if Aro or even Caius is around. If they are not, as my friend, I wish for you to call me Lilith."

Renata smiled again, and nodded respectfully. "I can do that, Lilith."

I returned the smile and watched her enter the room quickly. The doors shut once more, and I contemplated running.

_How many people are in there? Is anyone even watching the door? I can't do this… I should have just begged for death, rather than have these intimidating immortals refer to me as 'the woman who replaced Master's original wife'. I only hope that some have been convinced that Aro and I really do have feelings for each other, and that I am not some plaything that Aro will dispose of once he is finished being amused with._

But wasn't I some play thing, some human toy? I was pretty sure that I could never be completely convinced of Aro having genuine affection towards me, even if his words were near poetry. Aro could easily get rid of me after I gave him a child, after all, it was easy enough for him to let go of Sulpicia.

But what if Aro and I were mates? I hadn't really bothered with the topic- mates or not mates, Aro was content with keeping me here for at least a while. But if Aro and I _were _mates, would he still 'cut me out of the picture', finding my absence easier to fit in his grand scheme?

Finally, the murmurs inside stopped, and the traditional music began to play. _So much for running away,_ I mumbled silently to myself. I stood in the middle of the hallway, gripping the bouquet of roses tightly, hoping no one would notice my suddenly shaking fingers.

The doors opened slowly, and I stepped forward.

I was completely breath taken as I looked upon the throne room, which was decorated so elegantly with roses and drapery. Moonlight filled the room, thanks to the windows at the tall ceiling, and what the moonlight did not illuminate was covered by strategically placed candles. I reminded myself to thank Athenodora for the umpteenth time later. I heard the faintest of gasps from the guests, who were divided into two sides, but decided not to be frightened by staring into their intimidating looks. A long red carpet leading up to the platform immediately drew my attention, and then my eyes traveled further, leading up the stairs, where I finally saw Aro.

He was definitely dressed in the best suit I had ever seen him wear. It was black, like my dress, and it fit well with a red tie. _Athenodora must be really into color coordinating, _I thought amusingly. He even wore an official pendant, which was basically the family crest of the Volturi with a main V shapes, symbols within the letter, and was adjoined with two red jewels.

I had seen others, particularly when Aro introduced me to the other guards, who wore similar pendants. I had even seen nameless guards occasionally wearing the pendant as well. The only difference among the pendants was the brightness of the red jewels. The lower guards had the dullest, and the higher guards (like Jane, whom I particularly remember wearing her pendant at one point in time) had brighter red jewels, but Aro's (and assumedly Marcus', Caius', Athenodora's, and Didyme's) had the brightest stones of all. It made sense that the Volturi wore the pendants whenever they left the castle- even the lower guards' pendants seemed to represent an intimidating and driving force. ( wiki/Volturi?file=Volturi_Crest_Necklace_-_ )

Aro smiled as he saw me, and it looked genuine. I knew probably blushed more than I ever thought possibly, but I could not do anything but return the smile as I kept walking closer to him. I couldn't lose his gaze, as he was determined to hold on to mine.

As I reached the end of the carpet, I handed my bouquet off to Didyme, who was sitting in the front row of the left side of the audience, right beside her husband.

I reached the podium, and Aro extended his hand out towards me, politely but humorously noting that I needed slight assistance due to my shakiness.

_You are no plaything, _I decided then, as we looked at each other with warm, loving, smiles. _He wouldn't have done this if he didn't truly love you, or at least like you. He would not have bothered with having a ceremony. Hell, he probably wouldn't have bothered to marry me before wanting to have sex. But, he did._

He helped me, like a gentle men should, and I smiled, whispering my thanks. I stood facing Aro, slightly on the left side of the podium when facing it, and Aro stood on the right.

Aro caught my gaze again, as he firmly held on to my hand. "And that's what I wanted you to know," he whispered then, his seriousness showing in his eyes and composure.

Once I realized he had read my worried thoughts, I breathed a slight sigh of relief. "This is all wonderful, too wonderful," I whispered.

"Nothing is to good for you, Lilith. The sooner you learn that, the more fun you will have. Just do not indulge in luxury too much- I only have so many resources and money."

I smiled and half-laughed, both of us knowing that the likely hood of that was extremely rare, if not next to none.

The musicians finally stopped playing, and it was then that I noticed them on the floor, behind Aro. All of them appeared to look immortal.

"Friends, you may be seated," the minister announced proudly, drawing my attention to him.

He was only a few inches taller than I, perhaps he was 5"8 or so. He had short blonde hair that was styled modernly, and black-framed glasses sat on the bridge of his nose, just over his blood red eyes. However, I was not fooled- Aro had informed me that vampires had excellent vision. I guess the glasses were simply for style. _A vampire minister… _I tried not to laugh, as it was inappropriate. _Can you find one of those on Craig's List?_

"Dear family, we are gathered here today," the minister continued, "to continue an era old legacy by means of uniting Aro, and his beloved, Lilith, in matrimony. Before we begin, we must verify the intentions of those to be wed." He looked at Aro. "Aro, do you come here freely by your own will, without the persuasion or interference of another?"

"Yes," Aro confirmed, his eyes not leaving me own. His other hand picked up my own, and I was comforted by it.

"Lilith, do you come here freely by your own will, without the persuasion or interference of another?"

I swallowed once, nervously. "I do now. Yes."

The minister pretended not to notice. "If anyone in the audience believes that they have a justified reason that theses two should not be wed, or that their intentions that they swore are false, speak now."

Of course, no one would dare speak.

"Let us continue," the minister announced a moment later, his smile never faltering. _How much is this guy getting paid?_

* * *

As the ceremony continued as it normally would, Aro and I could not rid each other of the other's gaze. Occasionally, I was so lost that whenever the minister would ask me to do something, I would ask dumbly, "I am sorry, what did you ask?"

But it appeared the minister understood. He seemed to know Aro, and perhaps they were good friends.

Finally, it came to the vows.

Aro, being the poet he was, wrote his own.

"I, Aro, promise to protect and cherish you to the end of my days, may it be by another's will or the undoing of the world. I will always guard you and do my best to keep you safe from all harm, and I promise to honor you with giving you the upmost respect that you deserve. I will remain faithful to you and to you alone. I promise to support you when you are unable to support yourself, and comfort you in times of need. I promise that I will love you and treat you as if you are the most important person in the entire world, because that is who you are to me. I will never stop loving you, as I will eternally be in your debt, and can only hope that you will do the same for me. I will never abandon you, for better, or for worse."

I would have been crying, if Athenodora's warnings of, _"Don't cry- you will ruin your makeup!"_ did not echo throughout my mind. Nevertheless, tears slightly welled in my eyes, and I blinked and smiled to attempt to cover it up.

When it came turn to present my vows, the minister informed me that I had written my own. I hadn't.

But when I looked to Aro, and saw the mischievous hint in his eyes, I knew that this was his intention- he wanted me to be able to conjure up magical vows like his had been. _A silent challenge,_ I realized, with slightly mischievous smile of my own.

"I, Lilith, promise to protect (to the best of my ability) and cherish you to the end of my days, mortal or immortal. I will honor you and respect you dutifully, as you have always shown nothing less towards me. I promise to comfort you whenever you shall need it. I will treat you as the best person who has ever graced me with their presence in their life, because that is who you have become. I will respect your wishes by providing my support, and will remain faithful to you always. I will never abandon you, for better, or for worse."

Aro seemed greatly pleased, and his smile made me smile even more. As much as I wanted to scold myself for acting like a schoolgirl talking to her crush, I told myself that it was my wedding day and I shouldn't care.

There were no rings to be exchanged. I was okay with this- I still had my engagement ring, which I loved the most out of any piece of jewelry I had ever owned. Besides, despite my love for the ring, I was never really a ring person.

Instead, there was a ritual that Athenodora had informed me about. Back thousands of years ago, when marriage (or mating) to a human was much more common for immortals, it was tradition for the couple to bind themselves to each other by having the immortal drink the mortal's blood, while the mortal drank simple water to symbolize their purity and innocence towards the immortal way of life. Apparently, if they did this, good luck and long years of happiness were the only things awaiting the couple. Not much to my surprise, Aro was slightly superstitious.

As much as I did not like the idea of my blood being exposed to a room full of bloodthirsty vampires, Athenodora insisted that no one would dare harm me, or even think of harming me. I had only played blood donor earlier in the morning after Athenodora assured me that it would be drawn ahead of time, and I had a healing cut on my arm to prove it.

To be honest, I was thankful all I had to drink was water.

The minister presented an elaborate goblet to Aro, and another one to me. We dropped each other's hands, and received the goblets.

I was so nervous, I'd become nearly parched, and the water tasted like the sweetest I ever had.

I knew Aro was drinking my blood, but I tried not to think about it much, because it would only frighten me later when we were alone, together, in his quarters, the door most likely locked, with the taste of my blood fresh in his mind.

We both finished drinking, and the minister relieved us of the goblets. Then, he pulled out on ornate box. He opened the box, and presented it to Aro. Aro removed a Volturi pendant from the box.

The vows and the ritual were for Aro and I, to prove our loyalty to each other. But this, the bestowment of an official Volturi pendant, was in honor of proving my loyalty to the entire Volturi, and was a promise that I would serve them to the best of the abilities. Athenodora once said as she recalled the day she met Caius that there were only two ways to be accepted into the Volturi: by becoming an honorary recruit, or to be mated (or married) into the group.

Aro unclasped the pendant, and I barely caught a glimpse of the red jewels- they were as bright as the ones on his own pendant. I moved my hair over to one side to make the task easier for Aro, and turned so that I was facing the audience.

"Do you, Lilith, swear to protect the Volturi by everything you say and do, as long as you live, even if the price of this protection may be to the extent of your life?" Aro asked.

"Yes," I swore.

Aro clasped the pendant around my neck, and I turned to face him once more.

"I hereby announce you as husband," the minister nodded to Aro, "and wife," he nodded quickly in my direction. "You may kiss the bride."

Aro leant down, I stood up on my toes- just a little- and we shared the most loving and passionate kiss to date, blind sighting me and taking my breath away. Aro had given me kisses of comfort, of care, of longing- but this kiss felt more. It felt like pure, unrequited love. The audience clapped and cheered in the background.

But I barely noticed.

* * *

The reception was hosted in the same room as the reception for the party had been in. It was decorated exquisitely as well.

I stood beside Aro, my arm interlocked with his, and accepted congratulations as the guests arrived. I didn't talk much, but whenever I was complemented, I replied, "Thank you."

The guests seemed to be enjoying themselves greatly as wine (blood) was served all around, and each guest drank to their heart's content.

"They are just as excited as I am to have a new Queen of the Volturi," Aro whispered into my ear as I watched a group of guards chatting happily amongst themselves.

"But your title isn't King," I protested quietly.

"It is close enough," Aro reasoned.

I laughed. "This…" I gestured between the two of us, "feels different, but… I like it."

"Well _I _love the fact that I can call you my wife," Aro replied, kissing me. When we pulled apart, he said, "Just like I love you."

* * *

The rest of the reception went smoothly. At least, what I remember of it. Aro insisted that I have some wine to calm my nerves.

We danced, as all usual newlyweds danced. Aro even worked on teaching me one of the dances that had been demonstrated at the party. I will not lie- Aro, several surrounding guards, and even I found my attempts at learning the steps humorous.

The musicians from the wedding merely moved into the reception room. Aro allowed me to speak with them for a little bit, and they were happy to answer any questions I had.

Then, Aro suggested that we slip from the party, insisting that the guests would not notice or mind.

Nervously, I followed Aro.

* * *

Aro led me through hallways I had never even seen before. We went down many steps, and I did not even know the castle went so many floors underground. As we walked, Aro leading me by the arm, Aro explained that the floor where Caius (and Athenodora), Marcus (and Didyme) and Aro (and now me) resided on the very bottom floor just above the Dungeons. I had no intention to question Aro further about 'the Dungeons', so I left it at that. The top ranking guards lived on the floor above. The regular and lower ranking guards lived on the next floors up. The floor above that was slightly smaller than the rest, and that floor contained Caius', Marcus', and Aro's private studies, as it was close enough to the surface to allow natural light to enter the rooms. The floor above that was the main floor. Finally, the tower, where Athenodora and Sulpicia once resided full-time, hovered over the left side of the castle.

Finally, Aro stopped me in front of a door. A locked door. Aro pulled a key out his pocket, unlocked it, then put the key back in his pocket. He opened the door, but as I moved to walk in, he stopped me.

"Forgetting something?" he questioned innocently, distracting me for a moment so he could quickly (using vampire speed and shocking me so much that I let out a tiny yelp) pick me up bridal style. I had my arms wrapped around his neck, silly as it sounds, because I was temporarily afraid he would drop me.

He carried me into the room, before setting me down on my feet gently. Curiously, I looked around the room.

It was similar to mine in the tastes of style and furniture. The headboard of a large king bed stood against the right wall. The comforter was black, and so were the pillows. A small, yet comfortable-looking, backless couch sat at the end of the bed. The entire bed area was elevated by a small one foot high platform.

Across from the bed, on the left wall, was a fire place already roaring with ember flames. Also, like the layout of my previous room, was a door leading to what I assumed was the bathroom.

Along the wall where we stood were two dark wood wardrobes, and two black chairs that faced slightly towards each other, only separated by a small white coffee table between.

In front of the back wall was a large, expensive-looking easel, but it looked like the easel had been put to good use. Various paint stains were spotted all along the wood, but it just gave it more of an artsy feel. Various paintings were piled upon each other while leaning against the wall.

I smiled, "This is really nice."

Aro shrugged. "I didn't change anything."

I walked over to the paintings, and looked at each one, smiling. "Did you paint all of these?"

Aro shrugged sheepishly. "I will deny it if you tell another living soul."

"I promise not to mention it," I promised. "These are amazing."

"I am glad you think so," Aro replied. "The bathrooms over there, if you want to freshen up."

My nerves immediately hit again. I nodded silently, and walked over to the bathroom, shutting the door tightly behind me.

The bathroom was… huge. Unreal.

The same counter space that was in my old bathroom was found here, but the mirror was almost more of a vanity. What I thought to be a shower was in the far corner of the room, and was hidden from sight, because of the main bathing utility.

A large pool of water, its depth going into the ground, so that the water level was near even with the floor, occupied much of the room. Small streams of water fell from holes in the walls, which were decorated, like tiny waterfalls. The gentle, calming noise of streaming water filled the room, making me a tiny bit more relaxed. I kicked off the heels I wore.

I walked over to the vanity, wringing my fingers uselessly. I looked at my reflection, and sighed. I gently removed the tiara, setting it down on the counter. I removed my veil, and hung it on the hook on the back of the door. Then I set about removing my dress skillfully, not wishing to have it destroyed. I hung it on the hook as well. Athenodora made me put on a smaller, black, silk dress underneath my gown. The thin spaghetti straps of the second gown were easy enough to hide in my wedding dress. I pulled them back over my shoulders. But I chose to keep the Volturi pendant on.

Then, I returned to the vanity, and looked at my reflection. After a moment of thought, I started to wipe off some of the makeup, and I scrunched my hair just a tad bit. Then, I froze. _Look at me, _I criticized; _I do not even recognize myself anymore._

_No, _I said firmly then. _I do not recognize the old Lilith. Now, I am the new Lilith, the one who is married to Aro, and has duties as his wife to attend to._

I swallowed so loud, I was sure Aro could hear it in the other room. After a deep breath, I opened the door, and stepped back into the bedroom. I scanned the room, looking for him, and then saw him.

He stood, poking the fireplace, as his face was illuminated by the light. He had removed his jacket, tie, pendant, shoes, and belt, as they were all on the couch. He stood, his shirt unbuttoned slightly, watching me as I re-entered the room.

"Why are you wearing that pendant? My family is not in here, nor will they ever be. You do not have to impress them here, there is only me."

Cautiously, wary that I must have been as pale as a ghost, and I walked over to him.

He looked at me for but another moment and immediately took me into his arms. "_Amore mio…_Your heart is racing. What troubles you?"

"I-I… I am just n-nervous," I said, and I was shocked that he could even hear me.

Aro looked relieved, as if he feared something terrible had happened, and simply held me tighter. "You scared me, Lilith." He unfastened the pendant from my neck and placed it on the fireplace's shelf.

"Sorry," I murmured.

Aro released me, and pulled back to look me in the eyes. "You do not have to be afraid of me, Lilith. We do not even have to do this tonight, if you would rather wait."

"No," I quickly protested. "It would be silly to put it off."

Aro frowned. "But if you do not want to do this, then I will not force you to."

I shook my head. "No, I _want _to." When he looked like he didn't believe me, I held his hand. "I just… I just don't know how to go about doing it."

Suddenly, Aro kissed me hotly. I stumbled backward a bit, but Aro caught me, our mouths still passionately fighting for dominance. He carefully walked us over to the far wall, and pushed me back against it gently. After remembering that one of us still needed oxygen to breathe, he pulled away. I gasped quietly for air, my eyes not leaving his, as he moved to lean against his arms as his palms rested on both sides of my head against the wall.

"Do not think about it," he whispered. "When you think about it, you get nervous. You weren't thinking just now, and how did that feel?"

"Absolutely amazing."

"You trust me, don't you?" Aro questioned.

I nodded reverently. "Of course."

"I would never hurt you," Aro whispered into my ear, before leaning down and kissing my neck.

My breathing hitched slightly, and I just knew there was going to be evidence of his kiss on my neck later.

"And if you ever need me to stop, tell me," he said, "Tonight is not about me, it is about you, _amore mio._" He sighed against my neck, and I shivered as he pulled back to look me in the eyes again. "Don't think- let yourself go," Aro purred, his voice slightly husky, his once red eyes growing dark, almost black, as he leaned in to claim my lips once more.

* * *

After it was all said in done with, Aro and I lay peacefully on the bed. Aro drew up the black comforter, and made sure I was completely covered. He continued to press sweet kisses all over any visible skin available as I moved into a comfier position. My head rested on his chest, and I marveled in the coolness and pure silence of it.

Our legs were gently entwined, and for a moment, we enjoyed the closeness of one another.

"I love you, Lilith," Aro whispered into my ear, so quietly I wasn't even sure I had heard it.

I could have cried just from the seriousness of his words. "I love you too, Aro." Unfortunately, I couldn't restrain a yawn.

"Go to sleep now, _amore mio_," Aro urged softly. "I will keep watch."

As much as I wanted to protest, my eyes started closing, and I finally gave in and let them. As Aro kissed me once more on my right temple, I finally drifted off to sleep, and only faintly heard Aro whispering sweet nothings to me in his native language.

* * *

**You could be really, really, REALLY nice and review because it is my birthday :)**


	14. Surprises

**Thank you guys, so so much! You guys are crazy awesome. I absolutely LOVED your reviews, and I am so thankful for them! :) Thanks for all the happy birthdays too, and Mirage Writer, happy birthday to you to you too :)**

**This chapter may not be long, and I am sorry for that (I have TOO much things going on this week). But, there is FLUFF :) Eh, good ol' fluff. Too much isn't good, but neither is too little. Actually, scratch that. Can you ever truly have too much fluff if it's written well? O.o**

*****NOT THAT I have any power to do this, but I assumed that the Cullen's diamondy-sparkly skin was due to their abnormal diet, so Aro and the Volturi, having a "normal" diet for vampires, would have skin similar to humans, and because of this, there skin shimmers more than it sparkles.**

**I hope you enjoy, and I hope you have enough time to leave a review :)**

* * *

**Aro's POV**

As much as I wanted to avoid the man-watching-a-woman-sleep cliché, I couldn't help but draw my attention to Lilith as she unknowingly draped her arm over my chest in her sleep, as if hugging me.

Trying not to laugh too loud, I attempted to adjust myself so that I could be comfortable without disturbing her too much. As I did so, a brief flash of light caught my eye.

Lightly, I moved a strand of her hair away, and saw that her right ear was double pierced. Curiously, I looked at her left ear, and found it also to be double pierced, but the top cartilage had a small studded earring as well.

Then, I laughed to myself as I realized that I was in the stage where everything about my significant other fascinated me.

I looked at a clock that hung on the wall above the fireplace, and saw that it read 9:30 A.M. Suddenly, Lilith yawned, and my attention was drawn to her.

Slowly, her eyes opened, but when she saw that it was only I that she had claimed as her make-do pillow, she closed them and pretended to fall back asleep.

"Good morning to you too," I greeted her sarcastically, with a smile playing on my lips. I started shifting her so that I could get out of the bed, and she sighed, slightly frustrated.

I finally managed to fully climb out from underneath the corners. When I put my feet on the ground, not bothering to grab anything to cover myself with, I turned back to Lilith. I leaned across the bed and kissed her briefly, saying, "I am going to get cleaned up. You are welcome to join me."

She mumbled something not understandable, so I proceeded to walk to the bathroom.

* * *

**Lilith's POV**

Once Aro entered the bathroom, leaving the door cracked slightly open, I quietly untangled myself out from underneath the covers. I quietly and stealthy walked across the room, before letting myself into the bathroom.

At first, I did not see Aro anywhere- but I heard movement coming from the bathing pool, and that was where I finally spotted him.

Never mind the fact that I had been living with countless immortals for several weeks, Aro still never ceased to fascinate me. As he swam, my mortal eyes imagined the scene to be taking place in slow motion, as he very easily could have been.

Finally, as if he felt me staring, he froze, and turned to face me, standing up on his feet as they reached the bottom barely enough for the top half of his chest and up to be above the surface of the water.

"There is room for two," he informed me plainly, but I noticed a hint of playfulness in his red eyes.

"Oh, I do not know if I should join you," I said, feigning slight distress, "There is no lifeguard on duty!"

Aro chuckled. "No, but I will be able to ensure your safety," he replied, playing along. "But while I am watching over you, I will not be able to promise you that I will watch out for sharks."

"Sharks? I wouldn't worry about sharks- you bite more than they do," I said, honestly.

Aro smiled. "Just get in, if you will."

With a slight nod, I walked over to the edge of the pool. Finding the deepest part of the pool, I jumped in.

The water was refreshing. It was not too cool, and not too warm- it was just right. I stayed under the surface for a moment, simply enjoying the quiet and peaceful surrounding. When I started to lack oxygen, I swam up, and as my head broke the surface, I opened my eyes, and looked for Aro.

He was nowhere to be found.

"… Aro?" I called out uncertainly, my eyes frantically scanning the water. As I began to turn around-

I gasped as a cool arm wrapped around my waist, suddenly pulling me back underneath the water.

I squirmed about, trying to get free, when the arm finally released me.

I swam back up to the surface rapidly, looking for an attacker of some sort.

Instead, I saw Aro.

He grabbed one of my arms, and slung it over his shoulder. "It is all right now, _amore mio_. I am sorry that I was distracted enough to have a shark slip pass, but I will safely return you to the shore now." As he swam, I lightly swatted the back of his head, playfully irritated at his antics.

He finally released me at the edge of the pool, where the bottom rose steeply to form a sort of built in seat that surrounded all of the sides. As he sat me down, I frowned at him.

"Is there something wrong?" Aro asked dumbly.

I rolled my eyes.

Aro half-growled, "I have been nice to you so far, but I _will not _allow you to mock me in my own chambers!" He swiftly closed the distance between us and passionately kissed me.

* * *

After Aro and I managed to focus and finally got around to cleaning up, we made our way back to the bedroom, where Aro led me over to the two black wardrobes.

He opened one, which contained his own clothing. As he began to get dressed, I walked over to the other wardrobe, and curiously opened it. I was greeted by the sight of my own clothing.

"How did you do that?" I asked, confused. "How did all my clothes get here?"

"I have my ways."

* * *

Even though Aro explained to me that no one would seriously expect us to be returning to "normal" and not be confined to our _–that still sounds so foreign- _room, for nearly obvious reasons, I did not want to face days of harmless teasing from Athenodora, so I told him that I wanted some fresh air.

He took me up to the gardens. Aro's skin shimmered in the sunlight, another side effect of immortality. I did not mind- it was unashamedly pretty to see.

While we strolled along, we happened to run into Athenodora, who winked at me knowingly before greeting us politely and engaging in a brief conversation. As she left, Demetri, whose name I remembered solely by luck, approached us.

I got Aro's attention, as he was distracted by our previous hushed discussion of art types (due to my noting of his painting). Aro looked at Demetri, and as if he remembered something suddenly, smiled, and told me that he had a surprise.

Demetri left, but returned shortly- with Rosemary at his side.

"Rosemary?" I questioned, uncertain.

She was paler, far paler, then I remembered and ever thought possible. Her once blue eyes so similar to my own were replaced with a bright, almost frighteningly bright, red, while Aro and the other older vampires had red eyes that were closer to a blood color. Her skin shimmered more than Aro and Demetri's, but I was not blinded by it. She carried herself gracefully- as she technically always had when compared to someone like me. She was intimidating.

Rosemary nodded. "Yes."

As I moved to take a step closer towards her, Aro put a light but restricting hand on my arm, and Rosemary held up her hands as Demetri moved to stand closer beside her.

As I wondered what was going on between the two, Rosemary said, "It is best to keep your distance, at least for now. The thirst is… bearable, at the time being. But I was able to attend your wedding."

"You were there?" I asked. "Then why didn't you come and see me?"

Aro cleared his throat, "Lilith, Demetri was watching her."

"Oh," I frowned. There were so many questions to be asked, but I knew that I would not receive honest answers from Rosemary while Aro and Demetri were around.

"We should be going," Demetri said suddenly.

I noticed Rosemary staring at me- but not my face- my throat.

Aro nodded, and pulled me back to stand behind him as Demetri led Rosemary away. While she retreated, Rosemary kept hungry eyes fixed on me.

"… What just happened?"

"She almost thought of feasting on your blood as an afternoon snack."

"What? But we are sisters!" I gasped.

"Family matters not when it comes to blood thirst," Aro replied, and I knew he was speaking from experience. "You will learn this in your own time."

I said nothing more concerning that subject. "What is with Demetri? He seems very… _protective, _of her, and she does not reject it or seem to find it odd."

Aro answered easily, "When she is better suited to speak with you, I am sure she will explain. Come now- we haven't practiced with your gift in _ages_, and this I would know."

* * *

Over the next few weeks, nothing abnormal occurred.

Things between Aro and I continued normally (to put it bluntly, he understood that I did not have an immortal's stamina). But I would be lying if I said that after a few weeks of no change (meaning that I wasn't pregnant) that I did not grow worried. I feared that Aro would grow bored with me, and in turn do something drastic- possibly replace me.

But then I realized how silly my fears were. Aro was my husband, and of his own accord and wishes at that, and not because he had to marry me. He supposedly loved me, and would not replace me so quickly.

But then I would think about Sulpicia.

* * *

I spent my days devoting my time to spend with Aro.

Unlike most couples, Aro and I did not start to learn the little things about each other until _after _we were married, and I found this slightly humorous. For example, despite being currently very intelligent, Aro had had little schooling in his days as a human. His favorite color (not surprisingly) was red. When he was a human, he used to be claustrophobic, something that we both had in common.

When I told him that I could not only speak English but also French, he (whom I assumed only knew how to speak English and Italian) responded with, "Oh, vraiment?"

With a smile, I replied, "Oui. J'ai étudié le français pendant quatre ans à l'école secondaire."

"Vous parlez très couramment," Aro praised.

I shrugged. "Je me souviens seulement un peu. Mais merci."

* * *

I understood that occasionally Aro would have spontaneous business trips, or when had to do special 'work'. But when he did not have these things, and I could be in his presence, I was.

As he lounged in the throne room with Marcus and Caius, while they weren't discussing important matters, I was there. Most of the time, Athenodora and Didyme were there too. Marcus and Didyme had been spending a lot of their time together as well.

But Caius had been absent a lot lately, and this worried Athenodora. She confided in me, and I politely replied that Caius was perhaps taking short business trips throughout the week, and nothing strange was occurring.

When Aro wanted quiet, he retreated to his personal study, and I was always extended an invitation. As he dealt with his own work related business at his desk, I sat on the sofa in the room, reading books varying in topic from the arts to language and occasionally a bit of history.

For several weeks, we continued to live as a normal, happy couple would.

* * *

But normality and happiness could only last so long.

Aro was scheduled to leave for business the next day, so I spent the most time I could with him. Even though I didn't like to admit it, I missed him terribly when he was away. It was not so much as, "I need my lovey-dovey husband to do lovey-dovey things with me" as that fact that I got lonely. Athenodora and Didyme

It was a dark, stormy evening when Caius entered the throne room, small droplets of water falling from his dark cloak. Athenodora, who stood beside me, went over to her husband, concerned.

Instead, he approached Aro, clearly determined to do something. He stopped before him, and said, not bothering to hide a half-smile that gave me slight chills, "It has been done."

Before I could ask what Caius meant, the woman I had met several weeks ago, named Huilen, entered the throne room, with not one, but two squirming wrapped bundles in her arms. Her face remained neutral as she walked up beside Caius and Athenodora.

Aro stood up, smiling.

Athenodora frowned, her brow furrowing deeply. "Caius, what on earth have you done?"

I gasped slightly as one of the squirming bundles fisted the blanket it was wrapped in, and yanked it aside, revealing an innocent, shining face of an infant, and leaving me in a slight trance.

"Twins?" Aro questioned Caius, not hiding a delighted smile.

Caius nodded, smiling proudly. "Yes, I now have a son, and a daughter."

Athenodora stared, her jaw dropped, at her husband. "... _WHAT?!"_

Caius, as if suddenly noticing his wife, nodded. "I have given you what you have always asked for- children that we can call our own."

"You gave me children by cheating on me?! What cruel joke is this? These are no mortal children, but neither are they immortal. Tell me what is going on, or so help me I will kill you by myself!" Athenodora shouted, anger practically radiating from her face.

"Shhh, you will upset the children," Caius said, not even slightly fazed by his wife's rage.

"They are not mortal or immortal children," Huilen confirmed quietly and calmly. "They are half-immortal."

As Athenodora realized what had occurred, she stared wide eyed at her husband, and weakly demanded, "... You cheated on me with a human?" She paused, and regained her composure. "Do I really mean that little to you?"

"It was not cheating," Caius politely denied his wife's accusation. "The human had one purpose for me, and now that it is fulfilled, I shall move on."

"That is where you have been this week then, is it not? Have you been spending time with this human?" Athenodora demanded.

"Yes, I had to make sure our children were getting proper nourishment."

Athenodora rubbed her temples, obviously stressed and frustrated. "You know what? I cannot speak to you right now, because if I do, I will say something I may regret. You need to think about what you have done, and maybe you will realize that you should have told me what you were doing. I am tired of you making decisions like this without my input!"

She turned quickly on her heels, storming out of the room. I called to her quickly, "Athenodora, I had no idea, I swear-"

"Save it!" she shouted back, before angrily stomping out into the hallway.

As the sound of her pounding footsteps echoing faded away, Aro looked at Caius' two new children, smiling crazily. "What little wonders," he mused, completely dazed. "Have you given them names?"

Caius shook his head. "No. They were only born mere hours ago. I brought them here soon after."

"What happened to the human girl?" Aro asked, finally looking at his brother.

"Unfortunately," Huilen intervened, "It is tormenting enough for a human body to carry one half-immortal child, let alone two." She paused, and looked at me dead in the eyes. "The girl died in the process."

Aro, not noticing my sudden look of fear, said plainly, "Oh my, what a shame."

"I offered her immortality, but she denied it and died before I could change her," Caius explained.

"Excuse me," I said weakly, feeling slightly queasy and lightheaded all of the sudden. I half-ran from the room, not really caring what Aro and Caius thought.

* * *

**Aro's POV**

"What has gotten into her?" Caius asked, confused.

I shrugged. "She has been feeling slightly ill since yesterday, and it is quite possible that she, like a lot of other humans, may be coming down with the flu. After all, it is that time of year."

Caius frowned. "But if she has not left the castle, how would she have caught it?"

I vaguely gestured to a blood stain on the floor several feet away. "Who knows what passes through here?"

Caius smirked. "You have a point."

"What will you do with them now?" I asked Caius, referring to the children.

"Time will tell. Athenodora will come around, of this I am sure. She will be captivated by them soon enough, and all will be forgiven," Caius responded confidently. "They will stay in the spare room across from my chambers for now, as they have nowhere else to go."

"I would not have it any other way, brother," I told him, smiling, "After all, they are my niece and nephew, and are now part of this family."

* * *

**Lilith's POV**

Aro left the next morning, but my sickness did not go away. Naturally, I worried that I had caught something, and heavens know what that may have been.

I spent most of my time with Didyme and even Marcus the few following days. Didyme, naturally, was an easy person to speak to. She even put herself personally in charge of ensuring that my illness did not grow worse by regulating and selecting the meals I ate and sending me off to bed at 9 o'clock.

Athenodora was nowhere to be seen, except when I went to Aro and I's chambers to retire in the evening. One night I saw her walking, a child's blanket in one hand, a bottle carrying a mysterious substance in the other. Renata aided her by carrying another blanket and bottle, but Caius was nowhere to be seen. It was obvious that she was still angry with Caius, and in my opinion, reasonably so, but it seemed that she had little issue in spending time with her newly adopted children. Caius was right- children was something she had always wanted, and not even a quarrel with her own husband who had sired them could keep her away from the twins. Still, our eyes met occasionally as we walked in the hallways, but she did not speak a word, and neither did I.

After four days, Aro was due to return in the evening. Unfortunately, I continued dealing with my impromptu sickness. Didyme, having suspicions of her own, bought me a pregnancy test.

God, I hated her gut-feelings, because more often than not they were correct.

At past 10 o'clock (me being up past my Didyme-scheduled 'bedtime' due to empting the contents of my stomach for the 4th time today) I laid on the bathroom floor drowsily, simply too lazy and dizzy to stand.

I had taken the test several minutes ago, leaving me to my own thoughts.

_Am I pregnant? ... Will my fate be the same as Caius' human?_

I sighed, thinking, despite the circumstances, that I did not want my child to be motherless. Then I decided that if I was pregnant, I would inform Didyme of my decision to designate her as god-mother, in case anything _did _happen to me.

I managed to climb to all fours slowly, and peered over the counter, eyeing the pregnancy test warily.

_Positive._

I smiled bitter-sweetly to myself, and as a sudden rush of wooziness overcame me, I carefully lied back down, wanting to rest my eyes for just a few minutes.

* * *

Minutes turned into hours, apparently.

Aro found me lying upon the bathroom floor. Of course, being as caring as he was, he immediately thought something was wrong, and rushed to my side.

"_Amore mio, _are you alright?" he asked, slightly panicked.

I mumbled something all the lines of "m'tired". With a sigh, Aro leant down and picked me up.

He walked out of the bathroom and over to the bed, where he sent me down gently.

"I am assuming you know," I whispered plainly.

He looked at me, his eyes full of an unreadable emotion, and nodded.

I sighed. "... I am scared. I don't want to die."

Aro sighed too, before drawing the covers over me and up to my chin. He leant down and gave me a soft, loving kiss. "I won't let that happen, _amore mio._ Go to sleep, Lilith. Your thoughts will be better in the morning."

* * *

**Not sure how I felt about this chapter. But please, leave your thoughts in a review :) ONLY A FEW CHAPTERS LEFT FOR THIS STORY :O**


	15. Shock

**(Thanks to you who did review, you guys are awesome.) To those who did not review, please do, I cannot tell if I am heading in the right direction or not with this story if I do not have your input. Plus, I only stress about getting a chapter written a week because I know that you guys like reading it.**

* * *

**Aro's POV**

_Light, careful treading from here… Soon, it will all fall into place. Taking cautious, planned actions is key…_

"Leon, Lotus!"

Caius' children, whom had been named prior, were just over a week old, and already responded to their names.

Caius and Athenodora, though they both were on regular non-conversing terms, had communicated enough to decide that it was best that they both chose the names for the twins, who were, after all, part of the Volturi family. Their names (of course) both had Greek origin, which was a tradition and honor to carry on.

Lately, they had become almost of an observing experiment, and Caius and I readily took mental notes.

Though Huilen had informed us of plenty of information concerning hybrids, it merely was not the same when one encountered them themselves. Strange, fascinating creatures they really were. They appeared to be small and fragile as human _infants_ were, yet they were undoubtedly strong beyond the age they appeared to be. They were also very intelligent, given their young age: they could recognize their names, they had excellent memory, and both seemed well aware of their surroundings.

They had both recognized Caius as their father, and since Athenodora was the female whom they saw and spent the most time with, they had associated her as being their mother. They wouldn't know any better, after all- from what Huilen had informed me, the twins never even set eyes on their biological mother, as she died too soon for them to do so.

These half-immortal creatures intrigued me to no end, and Caius, though he'd never admit it, as well. As they lived their first few days, Caius and I, with Huilen's offering of knowledge, observed the two children in utter fascination and wonder.

The possibilities of these two unique (well, _rare) _creatures were undoubtedly endless. I even dared to hope that they might develop _gifts _of their own.

The rest of the Volturi had learned of the twins' arrival on the very first day they were brought to Volterra. They themselves were mesmerized by the children, and often found excuses such as delivering nonessential messages Caius and I as we watched over the children. It seemed that all of the guards were amused by the children (though they always attempted to hide it) except for Jane, who had always had a bit a of a jealous streak to her. It was because of this that I charged her with more important business related tasks, in an effort to both distract her and let her think that she was still being paid her proper amount of attention. She, having no idea of my intentions, took my orders and followed them reverently, and occasionally with her famed smile.

Since Lilith had been feeling ill for the past week, ever since her unexpected confirmation of pregnancy, she mostly kept herself shut off from the others and locked up in our room. I visited her every night, attending to her needs and assuring that she was in good health. But besides at those times, Huilen, Didyme, and occasionally Renata assisted her with whatever she needed.

* * *

**Lilith's POV**

I only saw Aro at night.

I didn't know whether or not to blame hormones, or if my concerns were completely genuine, but when I spent several weeks being around Aro almost every minute of the day and transitioned to seeing for perhaps only an hour every night for a week, it defiantly was a big change.

_I feel… useless. _Despite the certainty that that truly _was _the hormones speaking, I wondered if my subconscious was partially correct. Aro did not seem to want to see me as much as he had earlier, and this worried me. _Is this the beginning of the end?_

Shaking my head clear of all troublesome thoughts, I resumed eating my wonderfully-cooked pizza with ranch (_darn food cravings) _which Oliver had so politely prepared for me.

I ate what I could, but despite eating for two, I felt my hunger levels decreasing.

* * *

Since Aro was too busy spending his time around Caius' new children (whom Athenodora had also begun to love, despite still being furious with Caius), Huilen and Renata helped take care of me. I felt awkward at first, and was instantly reminded of my first days here the first time Renata brought me food to my door, but soon I was thankful when I found myself too ill to leave the room. Huilen did all she could for me as well, giving me her expert advice.

I barely dared to wonder about Aro and I's child. I knew that it was highly likely that delivering the baby would ultimately end in my demise, despite Aro's occasional reassurances. But when I could not control my thoughts, when I was often forced to succumb to the clutches of sleep, I dreamed about our child. I hoped, though I knew I was not likely to know, that it would be a boy, and be a son worthy of Aro and the Volturi. I wondered if he would have a _gift _of his own. Then, I would think about negative aspects… I feared that some unforeseen harm may come to him. I heard the Volturi had caused quite a stir when they 'investigated' the notorious 'other coven's' half-immortal child from Athenodora. Would another vengeful coven try to harm my child, too?

When Huilen came in for her daily check up as I sat in my old room (Aro did not want _everyone _to know the exact location of our quarters), she immediately noticed how quiet I was.

"Something bothers you," she said in her thick accent, and it was not a question.

I slowly nodded.

"What is it, child?" she asked attentively, her voice full of genuine care.

"I was just thinking," I mumbled in reply.

"Thinking will do you no good. You will be so lost in your own thoughts that you will notice nothing concerning others around you," Huilen offered. When I gave her an interested look, she reminded me plainly, "My sister experienced the same thing that you are."

I half-sighed. "Well, in my opinion, if others choose to ignore me, I will do them all a favor and separate myself from them."

Huilen scoffed. "That is hardly a way to deal with your situation, child." She paused, then cautiously said, "It is not any of my business, and I mean not to pry, but I assume by 'others' you mean Aro… your husband."

I nodded, by avoided her eyes. "But he is busy, and I understand."

Huilen slightly raised her eyebrow and politely questioned, "Did you expect more? Child, look at the facts- you are a mere human, he is a powerful immortal, and you carry _his _child. This child will be more similar to an immortal than you may think. When my nephew was born, I immediately knew that he was not my sister's son; Nahuel is his _father's _son. He is a true _child _of the night. He was the one that turned me, and he was only minutes old. We now are forced to hunt other humans whom I once thought as equals to myself. These hybrids are _monsters, _Lilith," she added desperately, instantly grabbing my attention. After a moment, she reconsidered her statement, and clarified, "Well, _some _are. If they are raised correctly, like Nahuel, they are virtually as harmless as well-disguised fully fledged immortals. But if they are not…" she trailed off. "If I may be so bold as to speak frankly with you-"

"-I am not my husband," I argued shortly. "I do not require others to respect me as such. Our positions currently are very different."

"Currently, yes," she agreed. Then, she said, "Forgive me, I meant not to offend you. I meant only to warn you of what I, a third party, have observed. Did you honestly believe that this all powerful immortal, who has retained his position of power for many centuries, mind you, who could have anything he wanted at the mere snap of his fingers, who could attack an army of ten thousand and dispose of them in mere minutes if his determination and posse were set with him, would honestly choose you over any other woman on this earth?"

My lips twitched slightly, as I hoarsely answered. "Yes. He needs me."

Huilen fought the urge to roll her eyes, this I could tell. "I think these hormones are having an effect on your thinking progress."

I shook my head fervently. "No. You are wrong. Aro needs me. I trust him."

"You _trust _him?" Huilen asked, genuinely surprised.

I nodded, and answered meekly. "I have no other choice."

Huilen shook her head, and placed her hands on my arms, as if trying to knock some sense into me. "This is not the only way, child. You can escape- Nahuel and I will help you."

I shook my head again. "I can't. I made a promise, and I intend to keep it."

"Then may god bless your soul- I do not intend to fri

**(LINE)**

After Huilen managed to actually check on my condition, she asked if my eating habits had been regular. Lying, I nodded and told her, "yes". To which, she gave me a rather skeptical look, but relented and said nothing. However, she observed my stomach (and my barely noticeable stomach bulge, but you would not notice it if you were not looking), and frowned. "You look thinner than yesterday," she observed. "Are you sure that you have been eating _all _of your meals?"

I lied, and confirmed her question. I did not bother to tell her that I'd been growing _less _hungry, and that the sight of food made me ill to my stomach, because it seemed to be a pretty normal symptom to me.

* * *

**Aro's POV**

"Come now, brother, do not be sour- I won that match fair and square."

I sighed dramatically and glared at Didyme across the chess table, her reference occupying my recent memory. It was a shame that on my 'down time' from observing my niece and nephew that I had chosen to agree Didyme's request of a quick game of chess, because I had assumed that I would not be the one who lost. "That you did, sister. Are you happy? For once in a long while, I have accepted and admitted to you that I lost."

"Not 'happy', but partially satisfied, yes," Didyme admitted, her words purely in good natured humor. "But if it will make you this upset, perhaps you would not object to another match?"

* * *

**Lilith's POV**

After Huilen was satisfied, I was dismissed.

Immediately, I fled to Aro and I's room, feeling my stomach protest for the 5th time of the day. After emptying what little contents of my stomach that I had managed to retain. I stumbled back into the bedroom, before scrambling over to the bed. I sat on the side, my head in my hands. I felt extremely dizzy, lazy, and overall weak. I bleakly stared at the opposite wall, feeling even worse when my vision began tilting to weird angles.

Weakly, I tried calling for Aro, and hoped he would hear me.

* * *

**Aro's POV**

After I had successfully managed to beat Didyme in a counter-match, she seemed to notice how late it had gotten, and immediately stood up.

"Where are you going?" I questioned, following suit.

She turned, and walked away. Over her shoulder, she called, "I have to bring dinner to your wife."

I was quick to follow her. "And why can I not complete this task?"

"Because you have not paid her any attention this week," Didyme said, matter-of-factly. She meant no offense from her statement; she had always been a completely honest person.

_Aro… Aro… Aro…_

I frowned. _Lilith?_ I looked around briefly, but she was nowhere to be seen. But by the heavens, she could have whispered those calls of help into my ear!

… _Aro…_

I had nothing to do but follow Didyme quickly, my worries increasing by the second.

* * *

**Lilith's POV**

After what seemed like hours later, though it was probably only mere minutes, I heard two people- bickering- outside of the door.

As soon as the door opened, since I had not enough control to look over at the door, I called hesitantly, "Aro?"

In a blink of an eye, Aro was in front of me, crouched down slightly to my level. "Lilith?" he asked, heavily concerned. "What is wrong?" After noticing my labored breathing, he frowned, and placed a cool hand on my forehead.

"I'm dizzy… and starving…" I gasped.

Aro frowned deeper, but turned his head to the side, speaking to someone whom I could not see. "Didyme, go get a recent sample."

A light brush of wind hitting my bare arms informed me that Didyme fled the room quickly.

"Calm yourself, _amore mio._" Aro whispered soothingly, placing both of his hands on my arm in an effort to help me relax. "Put your hands above your head, and breathe." Once he was satisfied with my efforts, he soothed, "There… just relax. This stress cannot be good for the child."

"It hurts to breathe," I gasped quietly.

"Patience," Aro said gently, soothing my temporarily.

As if on cue, Didyme re-entered the room and entered into my narrowed line of sight. She held a cup in her hands.

Aro quickly took it from her, and offered it to me.

I peered into it, and identifying the liquid, I almost threw up again. I turned my head away from it.

"Lilith, you must drink this!" Aro urged persistently. "You are growing weaker by the second. If you do not drink this, you and our child will die."

I thought about the severity of that.

"Do not think about it," Aro pressed, thrusting the cup into my hands. "Close your eyes, and pretend that it is water."

I hesitantly fumbled with the cup in my hand. Aro helped me by placing his own hand over my shaking one, steadying the cup and ensuring that the contents did not spill. I slowly brought it to my lips, and was guided by Aro.

As soon as the liquid flowed down my throat, one part, my ethical mortal side of me screamed out in disapproval, and the other, the part of me that realized that my half-immortal child had not been receiving proper nourishment until now, rejoiced.

I said nothing as I finished the contents. As Aro checked over me, concern still lacing the pale features of his face, Didyme watched us anxiously. When he had been most reassured of my stable immediate health, Aro withdrew. "You," he said to me, almost sternly, "Stay here, and do not move. You need to build up your strength." He turned to Didyme. "I want to talk in the hall."

The two left, leaving me to my thoughts.

* * *

**Aro's POV**

"I know it was rude of me to leave so abruptly, brother," Didyme started once the door to Lilith and I's quarters had been closed, "but I needed to ensure that Lilith ate. She has not been eating properly lately, and now we know why."

My brows furrowed. "Why has no one informed me of this?"

"You haven't been around enough for us to do so," Didyme replied honestly, not realizing that her relaying of the truth appeared to insult me. "It was never my intention to hide it from you- I assumed Lilith would have confided in you."

"I haven't spoken to her much as of late," I informed her, still upset.

"Then that is not my fault, brother. I was only taking care of her."

_Yes, you were only taking care of her. You are too nice sometimes, Didyme..._

"I only wanted to ensure that my sister in law got the proper attention, since you have not been around to do so yourself," Didyme added.

I frowned. _You were only doing what you knew was right, Didyme. And that's what makes you weak. That is why you had to go in the first place, that is why you forced me to do the unthinkable._

_That is why I had to dispose of you; it was for your own good._

Noise from the inside of the room immediately grabbed my attention. Turning back to my sister, I apologized, "I am sorry, but we must continue this discussion at a later date. I must attend to my wife now, since I am finally able to do so."

* * *

**Lilith's POV**

I heard Aro and Didyme arguing outside, and frowned, subconsciously placing a hand on my stomach.

As I strained to hear, I jumped when I heard almost as clear as day, '_Yes, you were only taking care of her. You are too nice sometimes, Didyme...'_

It was Aro's voice, clear as day, as if he had been right next to me, but he wasn't. Curiously, I looked down at my hand that was placed on my stomach. I strained to hear more of their conversation, but only heard muffled voices, until I heard crystal clear, '_You were only doing what you knew was right, Didyme. And that's what makes you weak. That is why you had to go in the first place, that is why you forced me to do the unthinkable.' _ It was Aro, again.

I gasped. _The child… Can he read minds like Aro? _I thought this over in surprise.

Then, I thought over what Aro was thinking. _Does he mean…?_

'_That is why I had to dispose of you; it was for your own good.'_

I gasped immediately, throwing a shock hand over my mouth to muffle my sound, and standing up so fast I felt woozy from the action.

Aro entered the room then, and gave me a concerned look. "Lilith, what is wrong now? Do you need more-"

"-No," I interrupted him. As he moved to come closer to me, I said sternly, "Stay away, Aro!"

Aro paused, and frowned. "Lilith? What has gotten into you?"

"I know what you did!" I accused in a loud voice, letting all sense of sense fly out of the window.

"What are you talking about?" Aro questioned, his brow furrowing deeper as he took another step towards me.

I scrambled onto the bed, and quickly climbed over to the other side.

Aro scoffed incredulously at me. "Lilith, what has gotten into you?"

"I know you killed Didyme!" I shouted.

Aro froze, and his face fell.

The room fell silent for several long moments.

"I am leaving," I said then, thinking about Huilen's offer, though I did not know how exactly I would accomplish my new task.

"Where are you going?" Aro demanded, with a tone in his voice that I never heard him use before.

"I am not staying here. You killed your sister, Aro!" I shouted again, frantically. "What is to stop you from killing me?"

Aro looked hurt. _Is that what she thinks? _

I looked at my stomach, and frowned. Placing a hand on it once more, I looked back up at Aro.

He seemed to understand how I'd learned his horrible secret. "_Amore mio…"_ he stated caringly, moving to embrace me.

I moved away. "No, Aro! I don't want to be here!"

"He will kill you, you know."

I froze. When I finally mustered up enough courage to look Aro in the eyes, I took a step closer towards him and whispered, "What?"

"I know that you have grown attached to our child, and how you hope it will be a boy. But if you do not stay here, with me, where your every need is attended to, and where you have proper care, he will kill you." He paused momentarily. "I regret what I did, but fortunately, I was able to somehow ease my guilt because of you and your sister. I know that my guilt will never full cease, so I want you to connect to my mind through our child, as their powers are clearly evident, and truly know for certain that I know what I did was a mistake, and that I understand it."

I looked him in the eyes, hoping that my look of hurt would break him if he was lying. When he did not speak, I sighed. "I cannot believe what you have done," I whispered, unbelievingly, as I fell desperately into his embrace.

Aro wrapped his arms around me, and with one hand he soothingly petted my hair. "I never wanted you to find out," he confessed, his voice a bit dry. "I never thought anyone would."

"But I did," I protested lightly, burying my face into his chest. "Didyme has to know."

"No," Aro argued quickly. "At least not yet… Not until I can figure out the right way to tell her."

I moved to climb out from Aro's arms, but he held on to me. He picked me up into his arms, and carried me back over to the bed. "Lilith, you must relax for now. You have had a trying day, and I can hear your heart racing. You must calm yourself, or you will injure you and our child. I will explain in the morning. Promise me you will sleep," Aro pleaded, sounding so desperate that I would have to be wicked to refuse him, though I wanted to desperately myself. I nodded slowly.

Aro, in a moment that touched my heart, pressed a soft kiss to my not quite yet noticeable stomach, before moving up to give me a loving kiss on the lips. He pulled the covers up to my chin, and turned to leave.

"Aro?" I called, stopping him in the doorway. "You will tell her, right?"

Aro replied easily, "Yes, _amore mio._ Now sleep."

* * *

**Aro's POV**

I walked through the hallways, wondering aimlessly in a futile attempt to find the one person whom I had been seeking.

"Corin, my dear? I need a favor."

Just like my sister's demise, Lilith's thoughts being influenced was simply necessary to my plans.

* * *

**Please, please, please review! :)**

**You may hate me, but I will most likely take next week off, meaning that I will NOT post another chapter next Thursday, most likely. I am sorry, but I simply have too much to do this upcoming week. I hope you understand.**


	16. Waiting

**Thank you for your patience, and thank you all for the reviews! :)**

**I am not completely satisfied with this chapter, but I believe it to be decent considering I am getting back into the swing of my updates.**

**Please enjoy and review! :)**

**Aro's POV**

* * *

It was quiet in the hallways as I walked back to Lilith and I's quarters, Didyme and Marcus assumedly have retired for the evening, and Athenodora and Caius most likely had put their quarrels to rest at least until daybreak, when they would most defiantly continue.

I opened the door quietly, knowing the likelihood of Lilith being lost in her dreams.

She was. Her newly colored hair lay untangled but randomly atop of her pillow, and her eyes were closed tightly… a little _too _tightly.

Curiously, I walked over closer to the bed, and lightly took hold of Lilith's free hand that was flung out away from her body freely.

As if sensing my presence, but not fully awakening, Lilith shrugged her hand away from mine, mumbling something along the lines of, "No."

I smiled and laughed lightly, before smoothing out her hand gently. Her hand fell to her stomach, where our child grew.

Spending the past few days with Caius only gave me more ideas of how I would father my child, both educationally and emotionally. Then the thoughts drifted towards something simpler. _A boy, or a girl?_

_It doesn't matter._ I decided after no more than a second of thought. As Caius would surely not compromise his tyrannical-leader-training merely on the basis of Lotus' gender and treat her the same as her brother in that respect, neither would my daughter be subjected to such gender stereotypical ideals that were far past this present age.

_Still, if I had a son… _I smiled to myself. _A son, an heir. _It sounded impossible- simply too good to be true. I would train my son to be great leader, teaching him every aspect of manipulating and rising to power…. He would learn over time that sacrifice is the key to retaining power… I would make him a leader that even _I _could be jealous of, and envy. But I would never, ever, make the fatal mistake and reveal that to him.

I would help him control his gifts, though presently I knew little about them, I was positive that in time I would be able to fully understand its strengths.

But a leader like my son will be will be envied by many more than I, and his position, much like my own, would always be one for another's taking. His head would harbor a _huge _price.

Above everything, I promised myself that for the sake of Lilith, my precious coven, and for the goodness of the immortal world, I would protect my child to the best of my abilities.

_Aro… _I did a double take, but reminded myself that Lilith's voice had somehow entered my mind earlier, with help from none other than our child.

_But the child also enabled Lilith to read my mind… _I frowned. _Something is not adding up._

Yet Rose and Lilith's powers weren't exactly logical either.

_Interesting._

* * *

**Lilith's POV**

When I awoke the next morning, Aro was nowhere to be found, leaving me alone to dwell in my thoughts.

… _Surely Aro has realized his mistake. I have nothing to worry about… I was probably just overreacting due to hormones. _I laughed shortly to myself. Deciding to go with my unnaturally happy and content mood, I set about getting dressed in another outfit and seeking Aro.

* * *

I found Aro, Marcus, Caius, and Didyme in the throne room, each of them readily divulging the text of ancient-looking books.

Once Aro spotted me, he sat down the book he had been reading upon his throne and immediately walked down to meet me at the platform.

"_Amore mio_, how are you feeling today?" he asked, giving me a kiss on the forehead.

"Better, thank you," I replied quietly, but with a smile. "But I think our child will be hungry soon," I confessed.

Aro held my hand reassuringly. "Do not fret, I will take care of it. What are you doing out of bed?"

I smiled. "You do not honestly expect to keep me confined, do you?" I questioned rhetorically. "I do get lonely, as you know. I wanted to find out where you were and what you were doing," I finally answered.

"Ah, I see. Well, we are conducting some research, my dear."

"Research concerning what, exactly?" I asked, genuinely interested.

"Gifts, my dear."

Now I was very interested. "Do I have permission to ask why?"

Aro laughed lightly. "Of course, my dear. I, like you, I presume, also have suspicions concerning our child's certain abilities. I merely wish to study and test the extent of their powers."

Naturally, I put a hand on top of my bulging stomach. "Your 'research' will not harm the child, right?"

Aro shook his head. "Of course not, _amore mio. _And if you do not believe me fully, you will fully conscious during the experiment." He sighed, before kissing my briefly. "You should not worry so much," he said, frowning playfully down at me. "The stress isn't good for the child."

I shook my head, smiling. "Is there any way I can help?"

Aro looked at me skeptically. "Do you really wish to help, or are you just saying that?"

I nodded, "I am just saying that because I want to spend time with you."

Aro smiled, looking truly pleased. "Grab a book- I will tell you what you can do."

* * *

Over the next few days, my stomach grew bigger. Shockingly bigger. So big I was self-conscious despite Aro and Huilen's constant reassurances that this was 'normal'.

Though I did not tell Aro, I had tried to numerous times to use our child's gift, in a vain attempt to see if it was possible again. When nothing seemed to happen, I gave up, and merely settled for observing our child's powers for myself once they were born. _If I am alive._

Because I was beginning to loathe being around others whom I did not know very well, namely the intimating and recently jealous Jane, I spent a lot of my time with Athenodora and Didyme, who were constantly fussing over the twins.

It was scary how fast they were growing. Athenodora swore that just the previous morning Leon had called her, "mama", and Lotus was catching up quickly with her brother's pursuits.

"They are too cute!" Didyme mused happily, making a silly face at Leon, who clapped and laughed at his aunt's playful antics.

Athenodora held Lotus, fussing with her untamed hair. "They are," she agreed with a smile, before placing a quick kiss to Lotus' cheek, causing the little girl to smile.

I smiled as well, and Athenodora noticed. "And you, dear sister, will understand soon enough," she assured me as she set Lotus on the ground beside her brother.

"I think I can wait," I protested politely, though my smile never faded.

Athenodora gave me a questioning look. "Why is that?"

I laughed bitterly. "I prefer not to undergo a death experience."

Athenodora's face went blank. "Oh," she mumbled quietly, at a loss of words. "I… I forgot."

I scoffed. "Everybody has forgotten. Will I be forgotten in the one moment I need Aro most? Or will he be too distracted by our newly born child to save me?"

Didyme chimed, "Do not speak of Aro as such, Lilith. He loves you, and you have little other than the birth of your child to worry about."

_She is right, _my own voice reminded me. "I am sorry… I have just been stressed lately. I worry too much, Aro thinks."

"And I agree with him," Athenodora said. "Everything will be alright, Lilith, you will see. This situation the Volturi is in will be resolved, and things will be in our favor. The troublesome Cullens will be disbanded or diminished, and then we can continue to live peacefully."

Though something within me still felt uneasy, I made my best attempt to smile reassuringly and nod in agreement.

* * *

Aro's research efforts also extended over several days. I kept him company of course, not wanting to venture through the hallways nearly as much as I had prior, due to my increasing uncomfortableness and the simple fact that the immortals intimidated me, despite them being (according to Aro) beneath me in Volturi standings. Aro's assurance did not soothe me completely. But I soon was relieved to learn that Aro could sense that the immortals around me had a much easier time controlling their thirst because my scent (since the beginning of my pregnancy) had changed, and this confused their Thirst.

Caius and Athenodora were out, spending a day with the twins together. I dared not to ask when Athenodora told me of their spontaneous trip what would exactly be occurring, as I thought my sanity would remain more intact if I was not fully informed. Yes, my not-so-technical brother and sister and law were slowly but surely making amends for Caius' misdeed.

I entered the throne room a few days later, and Aro immediately provided me with a seat to rest my aching feet. As Didyme fussed about, questioning about my health (as she was fond of doing; she seemed to care deeply about the wellbeing of her niece or nephew), Marcus and Aro stood a couple of feet away, seemingly in a deep conversation.

No more than a minute later, Rosemary entered the throne room, escorted by none other than Demetri.

I stood up quickly.

"Lilith?" Rosemary gushed, quickly walking over to me and throwing me in an embrace. "It feels like ages since I have seen you last," she sighed. She pulled away, and eyed me up and down, as if assuring herself that I was still fine. But when her eyes saw my bulging stomach, she made an unreadable face.

"Rose-"

She shook her head, immediately silencing me. "I do not want to argue. Though I cannot say I approve, it has been done. Who knew such a thing was possible?" she asked incredulously, almost refusing to believe what was in front of her eyes.

"Aro did," I told her.

Rosemary's face went blank for a moment, and then switched rapidly into a look of pure anger. "WHAT?"

I immediately shushed her, and pulled her by the arm away from Aro, Demetri, Marcus, and Didyme.

"You mean to tell me that you have been staying here for the sole purpose of carrying Aro's child?" she demanded, venom practically dripping from her accusation.

"Yes," I answered quietly, "But-"

"Do not justify yourself, Lilith. Why didn't you tell me?" Rosemary asked, feigning hurt.

"Why didn't you tell me about your 'affair' with Demetri?" I shot back before I could think.

She shut her mouth. "I have not seen you recently to inform you about it," she answered meekly.

"Yes you did," I protested. "A few weeks ago."

Rosemary sighed, running a tired hand over her eyes. "Perhaps," she said carefully, "We have a lot of work to do in order to restore one another's trust. Can we both agree on this?"

I nodded. "Yes. Rose, you're my sister, and the only family that I have left. I am going to need you around, especially in a few weeks." I trailed off, fighting back some tears. Still my voice was quieted greatly as I said, "I-I'm scared, Rose. I d-don't want to d-die."

Rosemary, frowned, and quickly pulled me into another embraced. "Nothing bad will happen to you as long as I am here, Lily. I am your sister, and I will take care of you, okay? If it comes down to it… and Aro does not save you, I will." She smiled and said, "This may make you laugh: when I entered the room just a moment ago, I thought that you smelled funny, and now I know why!" She gestured towards my stomach. "I am to be the godmother, correct? My nephew will need good ol' Auntie Rosie to teach him how to stick it to the man, and with Aro as his father, my advice will most definitely be needed."

I rolled my eyes. "What if it is a girl?"

"It's not," Rosemary said confidently, leaving no room for argument.

"And how do you know this?"

"I call it, 'Aunt's Intuition'."

* * *

Once I had regained my composure, Aro gestured me back to the chair. Though it was obvious he wanted to question me, he did not do so. He turned to Rose and said, "I wanted to speak to you both about my findings. Unfortunately, I cannot tell you anything certain, as the evidence is not clearly observable yet, and I do not think it would be wise to conduct a harmless experiment at this time. I am sorry to occupy your time."

"Do not be sorry, Master," Rosemary told him, and the fact that she used his title surprised me. I guess not even the status of sister-in-law enabled Rosemary to call Aro by his name. "I am glad to finally be reunited with my sister."

Aro smiled back at her. "And seeing that my wife is happy as well, if you wish, I hope you are able to continue to spend quality time with her when I cannot, much like my sister and sister-in-law do."

"Of course," Rosemary answered, as if it was obvious. "It is no arduous task to spend time with my little sister."

* * *

**Unknown POV**

The forest reeked. The exotic scent was everywhere- and it mixed with a much more familiar scent. A second pair of footsteps padded lightly beside me as we made our way through the dense forest, searching for a specific few.

Though I felt guilty about what I was about to do, a previous revelation had reorganized my morals and views that were once incorporated with my old life and adapted them into ideals that were much more fitting for the new life that I was currently embarking on.

My ever supportive partner had readily agreed to travel with me after I informed him of my plan to repent my mistakes.

We reached the previously designated location, and all was quiet. Suddenly, a man appeared into my view, his stature tall, his blond hair reflecting the shining sun, and his face determined. In a poised tone, he questioned, "You have contacted me and my family." He raised a perfect eyebrow. "Why is this? The conflict has been resolved, our charge acquitted. What is it you seek to inform me about?"

With a smile, I announced to him proudly, "I have insight into Aro's future plans."

* * *

**Aro's POV**

After the day's events, Lilith was very tired.

As Lilith and I lay upon our bed, one arm was wrapped around her in a protective embrace, and my other hand rested comfortingly.

"Aro?" I asked quietly.

"Yes, Lilith?"

"Will you promise me something?"

With a half-smile, I sighed. "Anything, _amore mio._"

"Save me any promises that you cannot keep," she warned meekly. "If I do not survive, promise me that you will keep our child safe."

I froze for a few moments, before pressing a loving kiss to her temple, and whispering, "I promise, sweet Lilith."

In that moment, her eyes closed, as she gave up the fight against sleep.

* * *

**Whew, that's it. :)**

**Ps: if you are concerned about Lilith's mood swings: think: she IS pregnant, and recall what Aro did last chapter...**

**Please review! NEXT CHAPTER IS GONNA BE A BIG ONE!**


	17. La Tua Cantante

**This is it- the chapter! :) So glad it is here. Hope you all are too.**

**Not that you are interested in what I was up to during the week I took off, but if you are, one reason was because I had a very important audition concerning a spot in my school's top choir. I got in :)**

**I hope you all enjoy this chapter, and please let me know your thoughts by leaving a review! :)**

* * *

**Aro's POV**

Lilith had been sleeping for a long while, when she suddenly started to stir. I looked at curiously, expecting it to be merely a bad dream, but I sat up a bit straighter when she squeezed her eyes shut tightly. A second later, they opened wide.

As she sat up, I questioned, "Are you well? Is something wrong?"

She cautiously shook her head, but she seemed unsure. Her eyes trailed down to her stomach, where she placed her hand. To my surprise, she laughed.

When she saw my confused expression, she laughed harder. When her laughter died down and my confusion had been drawn out for an uncomfortable length of time, she sighed. "I overreacted," she told me simply.

"Overreacted to what, exactly?"

Lilith grabbed my hand, and placed it where she had had her own. I shot her a confused look, but when I felt a swift kick to my hand, I understood.

* * *

**Lilith's POV**

Aro smiled widely, and a certain hint of emotion appeared in his eyes that I had never seen before.

Musing allowed to himself, he said softly, "Fascinating."

He kept his hand there, but I didn't mind. My hormones almost caused me to tear up at this touching moments, but I fought the urge, not wanting to ruin the moment for Aro. I watched him muse happily to himself for as long as I could, but eventually I was forced by the clutches of sleep to relent.

* * *

**Aro's POV**

The next week went fast in my standards, but Lilith's and I's child grew so quickly that I was almost left wondering where the time had gone. I knew Lilith's pregnancy was no ordinary one, but I reasoned that since _my _wife and child were involved, I had a just right to be cautious, if not concerned.

Lilith rarely wanted to leave our room, she had grown so self-conscious of her size. As cruel as it may seem, I knew she needed the company of Athenodora, Didyme, and Rose, so whenever she was hungry- or _thirsty, _rather, I used this as a bribe to urge her to leave the confines of our quarters. She would reluctantly comply, never being one to purposefully get on my bad side.

Of course, I would never push her too far; whenever she needed to sit down, or grew tired, despite the hour of the day, I would readily fetch a chair or help her back to our bed. I found it humorous that whatever Lilith needed something and whenever she did, I would comply. She jokingly referred to me as "whipped", whatever that vocabulary means. I assumed it meant "easily complying" and I laughed and went along with it.

It worried me how much strength she was losing. Simply walking across a room tired her to the point of ten minutes rest. She drank blood I provided for her as if it was water to her, and she had been parched for a week in a hot desert.

But I was proud of Lilith. She was handling everything very well. Of course, I knew things were bound to get worse, and I only prayed she'd be strong enough to handle the hard times as well as these easier ones.

I asked her about potential names once, and she politely refused to tell me, and explained that she had not decided. In turn I asked her (knowing that female's often had 'mother's intuition') whether she thought the child would be a boy or a girl, but she also declined my questions with a smile and said that she did not want to raise my hopes falsely.

Huilen, having a confidentiality agreement with my wife, gave me no more information other than the updates of the child's and Lilith's health.

Unfortunately, business trumps my 'every-day-life' with Lilith. And this was business that could not go ignored.

It was a nice, sunny afternoon, and I had just finished my feeding when the secretary entered the throne room, carrying a piece of parchment upon a silver tray.

The parchment was an anonymous tip, and it concerned the whereabouts of Joham, Nahuel's eccentric hybrid creating father.

It was simply too good to pass up. I chose Jane, Alec, Felix, and Demetri to accompany me, and of course they willingly agreed.

After informing Caius and Marcus of my plans, they agreed to watch over Volterra in my absence, including the well-being of its inhabitants, namely Lilith.

It was difficult to leave Lilith in her time of need, but I had to assure myself that it was necessary.

"Aro," she said urgently but quietly as I quickly embraced her as a form of goodbye.

"Yes, _amore mio_?"

"... Hurry back?"

I smiled lightly, kissing her. "Of course, Lilith. I promise to be back before the birth of our child."

Lilith was about five days or so away from Huilen's predicted due date. As much as it pained me to leave her at this time, part of me felt relieved- I did not know how much longer I could see Lilith grow sickeningly weaker before I felt immense guilt and did something drastic.

I left Lilith several minutes later, determined to bring Joham to Volterra so that justice could be served for his experiments and so that I could obtain the information I so desired.

* * *

**Lilith's POV**

Two days later, I managed to pull myself out of bed, though I do not know how.

Aro being gone was not a good thing for my sanity, to say the least. I was left alone with my thoughts too often, and my thoughts were cold and bleak. Also, our child- whom was more active than ever- had a sort of fifth sense and could tell that it's father wasn't around. He- as I recently began to refer to him as- was restless as I lay in bed each night alone.

In fact, he was restless now. After telling him softly to calm down (which did virtually nothing) I set about preparing myself for the day.

Once I had taken my time to get dressed, I set off to find Didyme, desperate for some company and her helpful feelings of happiness that could soothe my aching loneliness.

* * *

"What are you doing awake so early?"

I had found Didyme and Marcus a short time later in the main study. Marcus was preoccupied with being deeply involved in a book, and Didyme was simply checking on the plants in pots that she had placed in the room a few weeks prior. Both looked up at me questioningly as I walked into the room, but Marcus was the only one who hesitatingly returned to his previous doings.

"I could sleep no longer," I replied gruffly, making my way to sit down on the sofa that I had been eyeing.

Didyme sighed. "Aro should be back from his trip any day now- maybe even in a few hours."

"I hope so," I replied quietly. "I hate sleeping alone. And so does our child, it seems."

Didyme shrugged, unsure of how to comfort me. "Look at it this way: in a few days, you won't have to sleep any longer."

"I don't know about a few days..." I trailed off.

Didyme instantly frowned. "Why is that?"

"This kid is beating up his mother from the inside," I replied, slightly annoyed.

"You are sure about the 'he' thing, aren't you?" Didyme asked, smiling softly.

I nodded firmly. "Definitely. I haven't told Aro about my suspicions, though... I wouldn't want to get his hopes up."

"He will find out soon enough," Marcus agreed with me quietly, his eyes never leaving the page before him.

As one of my hands lightly traced over my stomach, I asked Didyme, "What do you suppose he'll look like?"

Didyme paused in thought. "That is a good question... Aro and I both had green eyes, if I recall correctly." Across the room, Marcus nodded in confirmation. Didyme continued, "and our hair color is obvious. But, your child could have your brown hair and blue eyes as well. Still, it would recall fond memories to my mind if a little boy with dark hair and bright green eyes ran around playfully here."

I smiled, thinking about that prospect as well. "Do you think he has a gift?"

Didyme shrugged. "With you and Aro as parents, I can only imagine so. Have you not discussed any of this with Aro?"

I shook my head. "I tried, but... No, Aro is too focused on training him- or it, he still does not know- when they are an adult."

"Do not worry, sister," Didyme assured me, turning back to her plants. "My brother will come around, of this I am sure. Fatherhood can change even the cruelest man. Look at Caius for example."

Marcus chuckled, and a brief laugh escaped my lips.

"Have you two decided on a name yet?" Didyme asked then.

I shook my head. "No, Aro has left it up for me to decide... in case the worst should happen."

Didyme nodded knowingly. "Have _you _decided then?"

I nodded. "But I cannot tell you."

Didyme fake-gasped. "Not even the child's aunt?" She laughed. "All will be well, Lilith. I do not need to possess the gift of foresight to know this. My brother loves you devoutly, and should the worst happen... he would probably save you over the child, though it is not my place to claim so."

"I cannot let him do that," I protested. "I'd rather die than have to face Aro for the rest of eternity knowing I failed the sole thing he requested of me."

"You have not failed him, and you will not," Didyme assured me. "He loves you now, whether he has always intended to do so or not. You two are mates, real ones at that, and you did not replace Sulpicia- her position was always yours for the taking. Aro and Sulpicia were nothing more than a couple of lusty partners. Mates feel love along with their lust."

I was soothed a little for a moment, but not a whole lot, because my stomach started tensing.

"What is it?" Didyme asked quickly, concerned.

I shook my head. "Probably nothing."

"You aren't to be left alone. not until you have had the child," Didyme insisted.

"Why not?"

"Because I cannot risk your health."

I sighed, but knew I was defeated. Another pain rolled across my stomach and my face contorted in pain.

The pain intensified as Didyme approached me and Marcus set down his book. "Lilith?" Didyme asked frantically, but I could not reply.

I let a blood-curdling scream when I felt something inside of me snap.

* * *

When I awoke from blacking out, I had been taken to the room set aside for the birth.

_I am not ready for this, _I thought quickly. _So not ready for this. Where is Aro?_

Huilen, Didyme, and Athenodora- whom I assume noticed the commotion while I was out- looked down on me worriedly as I lay upon a soft bed. They were speaking too fast and frantically for me to decipher any of their words.

I was on fire.

At least, that was what it felt like. I felt like I was being torn apart, and I screamed at them to end my misery. Didyme and Athenodora merely frowned at each other as they tried to listen to Huilen's orders over my cries of mercy.

"Rose…" I mumbled pitifully when I had managed to silent my screams for a moment. "Where is my sister?"

Athenodora instantly grabbed my hand, and held onto it comfortingly. "She is outside, waiting."

"Where is Aro?" I immediately countered, in a panic.

Didyme said to me then, "Lilith, you _must _calm down. Breathe. You are in great distress. Do not make this any worse for yourself."

"Aro?" I called, ignoring them. "ARO?!"

Blinding pains from my stomach silenced me.

_I am going to die, _I realized, as a stray tear fell down my face. I accepted my fate, but I only had one last unfulfilled request to be made before I moved on: I would fight to live if only for a short while, so that I could see Aro one last time and apologize.

* * *

**Aro's POV**

'_ARO?!'_

I returned to Volterra quickly, wanting to see Lilith as soon as possible. However, when Lilith's pleas entered my mind via our child, I began to worry. I instructed Jane and Felix to escort Joham (who had been taken into custody) to the dungeons, while Alec and I went to see Lilith.

Immediately as I entered the castle, Rose rushed over to me.

"Aro!" she called frantically as she was being trailed by Demetri, "Lilith has gone into labor."

I did a double take. _What?! "What?! _She isn't due for another few days!" I protested in disbelief, hurrying after her as she presumably led me to Lilith's destination.

"Try telling your child that!"

* * *

**Lilith's POV**

I wasn't aware of my senses for an extended amount of time.

But when Aro finally burst into the room, I breathed out a sigh of relief. _I can finally die happy, _I thought, smiling sadly.

"_Amore mio!" _Aro exclaimed once he spotted me, immediately rushing over to my side. His eyes trailed my broken body, examining the damage that had been done.

Aro's eyes narrowed in sadness as he took in my pale, broken form. His hands held the sides of my face, and I leaned in against the cool touch. It hurt to breathe, and I knew that he knew that as well.

"I need you all to leave," Huilen announced then. "The child will die if it is not cut form Lilith now!"

Athenodora and Didyme hesitated.

* * *

**Aro's POV**

"Go," I urged them, leaving no room for argument.

"That includes you, Aro," Huilen said, looking at me.

Lilith shook her head frantically. "A-Aro, d-don't l-leave…" she all but sobbed.

It broke my cold, not beating heart to see her like this. I held her firmly, and kissed her forehead comfortingly. "I am not going anywhere, Lilith," I told her. I turned back to Huilen, "I will stay here: I wish to be the first to hold the child."

Huilen nodded. "Very well, but you will have to distract her as I extract the child, and do so quickly. She is too weak to be given any medication, and I fear for her life gravely."

Why she was speaking so blatantly in front of Lilith was beyond my imagination.

Lilith tensed. "Amore mio," I purred to her. "Look at me," I pleaded softly. She slowly opened her eyes and looked at me. "You will live through this, do you understand? Our child needs its mother." Lilith said nothing.

Huilen set to work. She quickly made an incision in my wife's stomach, and Lilith immediately squirmed.

I held her face in my hands, and carefully brushed her cheeks with my thumbs, while whispering sweet things to her.

Lilith beckoned me down closer to her weakly, and I complied. She whispered into my ear the information that I had been wanting to hear for so long, and the simple word was probably the best thing ever to have reached my ears.

All of the sudden, Lilith's eyes rolled back into her head, and she went limp. I gasped, and shook her. I pressed my finger to her neck and checked for a pulse, and to my horror, found none.

"If you wish for her to live, you must change her now!" Huilen all but shouted.

_La tua cantante_… I stared at Lilith's lifeless face. Did I want her to live? She could die, and loose ends would be cut off...

But that was the old Aro thinking, and this new one was created by Lilith.

I leaned down, and my mouth hovered over Lilith's unmoving neck. "I made you a promise, and I intend to keep it," I whispered to her lifeless form. I quickly but forcefully sunk my teeth into Lilith's neck, and injected my venom into her bloodstream.

I pulled back gravely, watching Lilith's still form apprehensively.

So lost was I in my worries, I faintly heard Huilen announce, "Aro, you have a son."

_Coda._

That was what Lilith whispered to me, that is what she wanted to name to name our son.

Coda itself is a musical term given to the ending of a composition, and it was sickeningly fitting when applied to Lilith's situation. I would honor her by naming our son thus.

Lilith's song, her mortal life, was over. In its place, she left Coda.

But her new song, her new immortal ballad, was just about to begin.

* * *

**What do ya think? Please, review! :)**


	18. Transformation

**Thanks so much for the awesome reviews! :) Wasn't really sure how the last chapter would be perceived; I'm not too comfortable writing stuff like that, but I hope I did okay. :)**

**Sorry, this one's short :P Next week's might be, too. Sorry :(**

**(ALSO, LISTEN TO "Twilight Overture" from the Breaking Dawn Part 1 Soundtrack. It was a GREAT inspiration.)**

**I hope you enjoy though, and please, don't hesitate to review :)**

_******(BTW, Aro has multiple flashbacks throughout the chapter, and their brief mental visions. They will italicized, and bolded, so they are not confused with present thoughts.)**_

* * *

**Aro's POV**

"Time of birth is officially 9:23 P.M.," Huilen said quietly. "Your son is 8 pounds, 4 ounces."

_**"-Think of a number," I interrupted her quickly.**_

_**"… I beg your pardon?"**_

_**"Think of a number," I insisted. "Any one."**_

I looked slowly at Lilith's limp form, unsure of what to do.

Huilen had finished cleaning and attending to Coda, and stared at me blankly, determined to keep all visible hatred and disappointment off of her face. "Would you like to hold your son?" she managed to ask through slightly gritted teeth.

Once realization crashed upon me like a wave, I nodded quickly and extracted my child from her arms.

It was strange, really- the last time I had held such a small child was many centuries ago when I was not much older than one myself, and that child had been Didyme.

He squirmed restlessly, unsatisfied within the confines of the wrapped blanket. The blanket blocking my son's face bothered him, too. With a quiet infant grunt and a brief swing of a tiny hand, he attempted to remove the fabric from his view.

Absentmindedly, I folded the blanket aside.

_**It was rather charming. She went through the entire piece of music, which I came to realize was **__**Lacrimosa,**__** testing out notes as she went. She made a face of annoyance and a sigh of distress of whenever she played the wrong note, and I smiled each time she did so. When she finished practicing, she bit her tongue in concentration and began to play the piece seriously.**_

In a moment of weakness, my thoughts, plans, and desires went blank in the moment that my eyes fell upon Lilith and I's son.

_**Despite the low light, I could see that her hair was dark, almost ebony, but parts were naturally lighter from the effects of the sun in streaks. She seemed pale, but, most humans were this time of year. I could not clearly see her face, for she looked not at me, but towards the singing choir below. Her blood smelled rather sweet, enticing me to converse with her further... Though I'm positive that her human eyes could not accurately portray my real appearance in the poor light, I could see her perfectly clear. She wasn't entirely unfortunate looking, which is a lot to say for a human. She had blue eyes that observed me curiously. That shade of blue was hard to describe, for I was indecisive to pinpoint if they were piercing or inviting.**_

His pale, pearl-colored skin immediately drew my eyes in. The contrast between his skin and his dark raven hair was my next observation. He continued to squirm as my eyes traveled down to meet with his own.

What I saw would have taken the breath right from my lungs, if I had any.

Eerily familiar green eyes stared deep into my own blood red ones. He was unafraid.

_Oh, amore mio!_

_**She looked me in the eyes, and I froze. She opened her mouth slightly, and sung a few wordless notes, staring me intensely in the eyes the entire time.**_

Realization dawning upon me had silenced the entire room. No one, not even my infant son, made any noise.

_Not even _Lilith's _son, _I corrected myself.

_Lilith gave me a son!_

Something inside of me flinched, as if my still heart had momentarily forgotten that it was no longer running.

I couldn't think, I couldn't feel, but I knew that I was experiencing something similar to what human's did… The wonder of creating life.

* * *

I left the room several long, quiet moments later.

Outside, Didyme, Marcus, Athenodora, Caius, Rose, Demetri, and Alec had waited. In a another brief moment of weakness pondering over the past, I knew in my mind that Lilith would be touched deeply if she were to see the scene I beheld. When I exited the room, all of their heads were tilted or raised in my direction.

In a tense yet silent moment, all of our eyes met.

"Where is she?" Rose demanded, summoning enough courage to do so.

I looked at her tiredly. "It has been done."

"What has been done?" Athenodora inquired, confused.

Didyme announced plainly, our eyes locking, and never straying, "She has been bitten."

Rose fumed.

As I opened my mouth to speak, the entire group, save Alec and Demetri (who knew better) erupted into loud accusations and questions.

As a chaos occurred, I ignored them, choosing to prolong the dilemma and focus on something that _I, _a devoted husband and father, not _Aro _the Volturi leader, wanted to do: focus on my newfound fascinating discovery. Coda.

I held my son just a bit more closely, and smiled down at him.

Coda knew who I was. He sensed that I was his father, and the man that had protected him and his mother. I could tell this simply by reading his thoughts, as jumbled and confusing as they were. He was not bothered at all by his feuding relatives, both blood and distant. Once he noticed that I was smiling, smiled back toothless smiled that undoubted resembled Lilith's.

As I thought of her, and her lifeless body just behind me, only separated by a stone wall, my thoughts darkened, and my spirit fell once more.

Coda's smiled faltered, and eventually he was frowning. In a split second, Coda had gone from cheerful to sad.

Noticing this, I immediately tended to him, trying shushing noises to calm him, but the damage had been done. As Coda cried, I did my best to soothe him, and I did not notice as the rest of the room fell quiet.

_That is one thing,_ I decided, noting the Coda had the ability to read, or at the very least, sense, my thoughts. Eventually, Coda's cries ceased, leaving nothing but wet tears upon his face as evidence.

As I reached a cautious hand to wipe them from his cheeks, Didyme asked, "The child lives."

Managing to tear my eyes away from Coda, I replied quietly, "Yes." Repositioning Coda to be more secure within my arms, I continued, "Lilith bore me a son."

Caius, the least likely, genuinely smiled. "A son? An heir? That is wonderful news, brother!"

Athenodora, still greatly concerned about Lilith's well-being, smacked her husband lightly on the arm.

"… What is his name?" Rose asked hesitantly.

I smiled, but tried to conceal it. "His name, given to him by his mother, is Coda."

"Coda?" Caius raised an eyebrow, scoffing. Athenodora pulled him aside to speak to him privately, I was not troubled by Caius' remarks. I was not ashamed of the name Lilith had chosen, and I was surely not ashamed of my son. In fact, I was proud to call him that. I could glance upon him but for a mere minute, and countless ideas for future filled my mind to the brim.

Didyme, being as lover of music like myself, understood her nephew's name and its significance. "It is perfect," she whispered, her eyes fixed on Coda.

Marcus, along with his wife, looked upon Coda with slight interest, yet his concern for my wife was evident as well. _At least one brother cares for my wife, though I did not expect Caius to… not yet. Which reminds me…_

"It would be silly for all of you to stay," I told the entire group. "It may take days, even a week, assuming the transformation is complete. I will monitor her myself. Go."

Everyone hesitated, but noting my less than normal composed state, all obliged, save Didyme.

She stared me down with wide eyes. "Aro," she stated, "You need to hunt."

I shook my head quickly, my grip around Coda tightening instinctively. Noticing this, Coda began to squirm, but he did not make any noise.

"Aro," Didyme said, so firmly that I was shocked, and I couldn't do anything but meet her intense gaze. "You need time to think."

I did not argue.

"You need to sort out your thoughts, and feed. I fed this morning- I will not be thirsty for several days," she reasoned. As she looked upon Coda, she continued, "I will not harm him. I do not think anyone will- he smells… distinct. While it is clear that he is not full immortal, his blood does not call to me as his mother's did."

My thoughts, having been as clouded as they were, were unable to process this.

Didyme held out steady hands. "I will keep him safe until you return, Aro, no one else will hold him, and you can have him as soon as you return, I promise." She sighed. "You are disregarding your own well-being. Lilith wouldn't want you to act like this. You need my help, and I want to help you. You are my brother; I feel your pain too."

Too tired to argue with her, I mutely and carefully handed Coda into her awaiting arms.

She continued calmly, still staring at me intensely, "This was coming eventually, Aro. Lilith was only human. This is what always happens when our kind becomes involved with one of them. And as much as it hurts me to say so, if she does not pull through," she cleared her throat, "I will help you. If you are to show one weakness, one fault, in your entire existence, and this is it, I will help you in any way I can, because I know that whether or not you accept it, you would rather have my help than any others, save Lilith." She reached out, and placed a reassuring, yet cautious, hand upon my still arm. "I am going to do this because you are my brother, Aro, and I will always support you and your decisions because you have not failed me yet."

With that, Didyme retreated. My mind drowning in the sickening irony of her promises by my own fault and Lilith's situation become suffocating painful to dwell upon, I could say nothing and do nothing but watch her leave.

* * *

I did not return for half a day.

As she had promised, Didyme met me at the entrance, with Coda sleeping in her arms. Alec, the ever so faithful guard, stood beside her, presumably guarding both her and my child from possible questioning. She moved to hand him over to me, but I refused.

"Can you walk with me?" I asked her quietly.

Understanding, she nodded, and suggested that Alec should go partake in the festivities occurring in the throne room. He left.

* * *

I walked to the room where Lilith's body laid.

Felix had been appointed to guard the door. He saw me and Didyme, and instinctively bowed. "Master, Mistress." He looked at Coda and quickly added, "Little Master."

"Any troubles?" I questioned plainly.

Felix shook his head. "No, Master. Mistress Lilith was undisturbed. The only one who stopped by to question me was Renata."

I nodded in understanding. Renata, who had been on a rewarded vacation, must have arrived after the day's earlier events. "Would you mind fetching her now, and informing her of what occurred? Didyme and I will wait in here until you return."

"If that is what you wish," Felix nodded devoutly, and a moment later he fled, eager to do as I had asked.

I entered the room, and the overwhelming aroma of dried blood conquered my sense of smell. Choosing with slight difficulty to ignore it, I asked Didyme, "Where is Huilen?"

"In her quarters," Didyme answered. "with Nahuel."

"Good," I replied, "that is where she should stay for the time being. And what of Joham?"

"While you were gone, Jane informed Marcus and Caius that he has been locked up in one of the darkest cells the prison has to offer, and he will be guarded until further notice," Didyme supplied patiently.

"That is good as well," I declared. My eyes finally rested upon Lilith's limp form once more. "Didyme? Can I ask a favor of you?"

"Anything, Aro."

"Would you mind cleaning her up?" I asked, half-heartedly. "I do not wish for Coda to see her like this, and I… I…"

"Yes," Didyme replied. "Understood."

* * *

The next few days passed excruciatingly slow.

I held Coda in my arms for every moment that followed, unless I needed a 'break' (as Didyme put it) and Didyme tended to him.

As Huilen instructed, Coda was fed blood, but Didyme was always in charge of his feedings, because it was a timely reminder for me to leave and check on Lilith's progressing transformation.

I decided that for the most part spending time with Coda took my mind off of Lilith's transformation, and more often than not, I needed that release.

But when Didyme held Coda the following day, and I looked upon his cheerful face, he stopped again, and began to cry.

Frowning, as neither Didyme nor I had been thinking of Lilith, I reached out to touch his small, delicate hand, but froze.

My mind was hit with an overwhelming command to let Coda see his mother.

Regaining my composure, I stepped back several feet, eyeing Didyme questioningly. Again, I was filled with the same sense of command. And I'd felt it before- when Lilith and I first met, and she sang to me.

Yes, Coda was definitely gifted. He was gifted twice over.

* * *

Coda was comforted by the sight of his mother as I would periodically take him to the room where she laid. I stood underneath the doorway, and would not come closer, fearing that this would bring troubling sights and thoughts to Coda's mind that I did not want to be exposed to, not yet at least. Infants were, after all, so precious.

Precious as he was, as Huilen warned, Coda grew. Almost alarmingly fast.

But as the fifth day of Lilith's transformation approached, I spent less time worrying about Coda, and more time focusing on Lilith.

* * *

I walked by Lilith's room, hearing something that disturbed me. Lilith's heart, though her body had stilled, had continued to beat for several days, though it was so slow it was almost nonexistent.

But as I stood outside the closed door, I hear her heart begin to _pick up._

_**I looked at Lilith for but another moment and immediately took her into my arms. "**__**Amore mio…**__**Your heart is racing. What troubles you?"**_

_**"I-I… I am just n-nervous," she said, and I was shocked that I could even hear her.**_

The final part of the transformation had begun.

My venom had already spread throughout most of her body, changing and morphing what it willed, and now all that was left was to conquer her heart.

I immediately opened the door, and approached Lilith. Her skin was now pale like my own, her skin ice cold. She was cleaned up by Didyme so nicely, she could have been a still porcelain doll.

But those were occasionally creepy.

I leaned a curious ear down closer to her chest, where her heart raced faster than any human heart ever had before.

I waited patiently for the beat of her heart to decrease as the venom slowly seeped into her arteries, slowly but firmly completing the transformation, but it never came.

Instantly, I knew what was wrong.

_**"I am leaving," Lilith said then.**_

_**"Where are you going?" I demanded, with a tone in my voice that I had never used with Lilith before.**_

_**"I am not staying here. You killed your sister, Aro!" she shouted again, frantically. "What is to stop you from killing me?"**_

"Didyme!" I shouted, loud enough so that Didyme could hear me, as I listened intently to Lilith's heartbeat once more.

Ever the fighter, Lilith's heart was attempting to fight off the venom. That is fatal.

If the victim's heart stops beating before the venom can enter, the human is dead, and the transformation fails.

_**Lilith sighed. "... I am scared. I don't want to die."**_

_**I sighed too, before drawing the covers over her and up to her chin. I leant down and gave her a soft, loving kiss. "I won't let that happen, **__**amore mio.**__** Go to sleep, Lilith. Your thoughts will be better in the morning."**_

I did a double take. _There isn't much I can do, but I am failing Lilith!_

Didyme rushed into the room, still managing to cradle Coda safely in her arms. "What is happening?" she questioned urgently, rushing over to me as I continued to listen to Lilith's heart.

"Her body is rejecting the venom."

_**She peered into the cup, and identifying the liquid, she almost threw up again. She turned her head away from it stubbornly.**_

_**"Lilith, you must drink this!" I urged persistently. "You are growing weaker by the second. If you do not drink this, you and our child will die."**_

"What do we do?" Didyme asked worriedly, her tone betraying her neutral face.

I sighed, frustrated. "There's nothing we can do!"

Didyme thought for a moment, before bowing her head in silence.

It stayed silent as all of us, even Coda, listened to Lilith's rapidly increasing heart beat. Didyme and I silently wished for the beating to slow, but to my horror, it did not.

I looked at Lilith's face, feeling more miserable by every sixteenth of a second that passed.

"Take him away," I told Didyme, gesturing to Coda. "I do not want him to witness this."

Didyme glanced up at me quickly, wide-eyed. "You think she is-"

"-Go," I snapped, leaving no room for argument.

Didyme hesitated, but eventually decided that it was best for her nephew to not observe (listen) his mother's death. As Didyme left, Coda's sad cries reached my ears, sharp and piercing at first, but as Didyme walked away and down the hallway, they faded into nothing.

I reached a hand to cup the side of Lilith's cold, pale face.

_I failed._

_**"The only way for me to eliminate this coven is to recruit more immortals with gifts, and," I added, carefully, watching Lilith's expression, "to obtain some immortal and human hybrids for myself."**_

_**Lilith's expression was blank for several moments. Upon her realization, however, her face twisted into one of pure horror. She threw her back against the stone wall, and trembled. "You cannot mean-"**_

_**I said nothing.**_

_**She watched me apprehensively, before asking, with more courage than what I would expect from a human, "… If you do not wish to force me to obey your command, than how do you expect me to comply?"**_

**Ah, a bargain. Interesting, indeed. Fortunately, this can work for my favor.**_** "If you provide me with a hybrid child, and you survive, though I will not hesitate to inform you of the unlikely hood of this, I will grant you immortality."**_

_**"And what if I do not want immortality?"**_

_**I hadn't expected that. "… Then I shall grant you the freedom of death."**_

Lilith had done the sole thing I'd asked of her.

But she had never completely decided on whether or not she wanted immortality.

I had bitten her without a second thought at that moment, but was it really my right to do so? Was Lilith's failing transformation a sign from the Fates that this is what she wanted?

_**"I, Lilith, promise to protect (to the best of my ability) and cherish you to the end of my days, mortal or immortal. I will honor you and respect you dutifully, as you have always shown nothing less towards me. I promise to comfort you whenever you shall need it. I will treat you as the best person who has ever graced me with their presence in their life, because that is who you have become. I will respect your wishes by providing my support, and will remain faithful to you always. I will never abandon you, for better, or for worse."**_

A venomous tear fell from the inner corner of my eye as Lilith's vow echoed in my head. I dumbly lifted a finer to wipe it away, but once I had, I found myself staring at it in shock. How many years had it been since I had shown such emotions? Centuries?

I knew it that moment that whether I had always intentionally intended to not, Lilith Costa had become the sole thing I could not live without.

Lilith had vowed that she would never abandon me. I had made the right choice, but what could be done about Lilith now?

"_Amore mio?" _I questioned, urgently but soothingly, clearing my throat to erase the watery sound that escaped my lips, "If you can hear me, know that I am here. Do not fight this!"

Her heart continued to pound at an alarming rate.

Quieter, I said desperately, "It is okay to stop fighting, _amore mio- _Lilith. I am here- you will not die under my watch, but you have to stop fighting!"

Her heart did not stop. In a moment of unashamed sorrow, I buried my head into her chest, whispering my goodbyes in a bleak hope that she could hear them.

_**"They do sound lovely though, don't they?" the girl said a moment later.**_

_**"Yes," I agreed with a smile. "Quite. They are singing **__**Sacerdotes Domini**__**, correct?"**_

_**"Yes," she answered. "I'd like to think the William Byrd would love to hear his works performed, well, if he was still around, that is," she commented, with a soft sigh.**_

Lost in my weakness and sorrow, I did not register Lilith's heart beat rate slowly descending.

When I did, my head quickly shot up.

Alec stood in the doorway, his hands outstretched. I looked down to my feet, and black mist circled around my ankles. The mist had risen to cover Lilith in a light haze.

I stared at Alec for a moment, unsure whether to be embarrassed by my mourning for a human for to be grateful for his help.

Alec helped to save Lilith by stripping her of her senses and forcing her to cease her internal fight against the venom, and it touched me greatly knowing that he would do so for his Mistress, whom he had met only once.

Eventually, Alec allowed the mist to evaporate into the air. He looked at me slowly, waiting for me to say something.

I continued to stare for another moment before saying, my voice barely above a whisper, "I am grateful for you, Alec. Though you may not always receive the recognition you deserve, I hope you know now how much I am glad that you are a part of my extended family."

Alec actually suppressed a minute half-smile. When he regained his composure, he nodded professionally, and stated, "I have always known I was appreciated Master, but please know that I did not do this solely for recognition. Mistress means a lot to you, that I have seen, and it would have been wrong for me to not offer help when I could give it."

I smiled. "How did you know?"

"Mistress Didyme was crying."

"I see."

"Master?"

"Yes, Alec?"

"Will Mistress Lilith be alright?"

"Yes, Alec, and it is because of you that she will live again."

* * *

Alec left, leaving me to watch over Lilith in her final hours of mortal life. The transformation was about 98% complete, and I found a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders.

I watched over her devoutly, anxious for the moment to arrive where she would open her eyes, and meet the new world that surrounds her. As I lightly brushed her dark hair away from her still face, I said quietly, "I love you, Lilith. When you awake, things will be changed, and for the better."

_**"I love you, Lilith," I whispered into her ear, so quietly Lilith wasn't even sure if had heard it.**_

_**She looked as though she could have cried just from the seriousness of my words. "I love you too, Aro." Unfortunately, she couldn't restrain a yawn.**_

_**"Go to sleep now, **_**amore mio**_**," I urged her softly. "I will keep watch."**_

_**As much as she wanted to protest, her eyes started closing, and Lilith finally gave in and let them. As I kissed her once more on her right temple, she finally drifted off to sleep, and only faintly heard me whispering sweet nothings to her in my native language.**_

* * *

**The end.**

**I'm kidding.**

**Wasn't sure how Aro's emotions would play out, so I hope I did his character some justice in the end.**

**Please Review! :)**


	19. Immortal Bliss

**Thanks to those who reviewed :) I appreciate more than I could say.**

**Busy week.**

**Only about a few chapters left for this story…**

**Please enjoy and review :)**

* * *

**Lilith's POV**

Everything is in slow motion- and in reality, you're speechless. You can only guess what's going on based on your senses; nothing is definite.

The pain was blinding (well, would have been, had I not already lost my sight) - like I was almost being ripped apart.

This last for days. I tried to shout out for help, hoping that Aro would hear my cries and come to my aid, but I could not find my voice.

Though I could not see or speak, I heard _everything._

* * *

What seemed like an eternity later, I couldn't take it any longer- I tried to fight the overwhelming feeling that draped over my body like a sheet. I was out- or, I wanted out- and as much as I knew that Aro would be disappointed, I had to stop the pain… by fighting it.

But I quickly learned that it was the wrong thing to do. I heard Aro's desperate cries in broken fragments, it was painful for me not to respond, but I simply could not. I couldn't slow my racing heart, either. When my hearing was taken over by the pounding of my heart, I panicked.

When it came to the brink, and I was sure that I would soon be joining Caius' departed human counterpart, everything faded.

Everything faded into nothing.

* * *

When my senses began to return, I sensed my heart beginning to slow, and my concentration and concerns shifted from my own well-being to the well-being of others.

_How is my son? … How is Aro?_

But I had little time to think of that.

At that moment, my failing heart missed a beat… and did not pick up.

My eyes shot open.

* * *

**Aro's POV**

Lilith's eyes opened, and I was immediately greeted with blood thirsty red irises that looked slightly murderous, and it took me slightly aback for once to not be staring into her calming blues.

I took an alarmed step back, allowing Lilith some space. She bolted up to a sitting position quickly, too quickly. She looked down at herself, frowning, not fully understanding.

"It'll take a while to get used to, my dear," I told her lightly, not bothering to censor the pride in my voice.

Her head snapped in my direction quickly, as if she had not been aware of my presence. She took me in with threatening eyes, as if sizing me up. Seemingly getting frustrated, out of habit, she took a deep breath.

Lilith paused, catching my scent. Then, she looked at me as if with new eyes. Recognizing me at once, she smiled.

Before I could return the gesture, Lilith had thrown herself off of the bed and crossed the room where she threw her arms around me, and held me in a tight grip.

If I needed to breathe, I wouldn't have been able to. In fact, if I'd been human, Lilith's deathly grip would have easily killed me. I was slightly uncomfortable as it was so I politely said, "Lilith dear, a little looser, if you could…"

Bowing her head down and frowning, a human trait that was not lost, Lilith retreated, dropping her arms. In reassurance, I put my hands on her waist and pulled her close. Lilith snuggled closer to me, and I kissed the top of her head. "How do you feel?" I asked her a moment later, allowing her some time to place her thoughts. Though it'd been many centuries since my own transformation, I remember it as if it was yesterday. She needed time to process everything.

Lilith said slowly, carefully, testing out her voice, "Surreal." She cleared her throat.

I chuckled, taken with the overwhelming feeling of relief at seeing Lilith well. "I'm afraid that will last for a while."

Suddenly, Lilith's thoughts clouded with worry. "Coda… where is he?"

I hesitated, and Lilith gasped. Placing my hands firmly on the sides of her biceps, I spoke clearly, "Calm yourself, Lilith. Right now, you are not unlike a time bomb." When she lightened up slightly, I continued, "Coda is perfectly healthy."

"I want to see him," she demanded.

"No," I told her. To this, she scowled.

"And why not? He is my son, too!"

"You haven't fed yet, and your thirst clearly affecting your attitude," I stated calmly. "When is the last time you raised your voice to me? … Oh, that's right; you have _never _raised your voice to me. I would be risking our child's safety if I allowed you to see him right at this moment."

Realization dawned upon her face.

"I know you feel invincible, but you have to trust that I know what I am doing. I have plenty of experience with newborns," I told her firmly, my eyes never leaving her own.

Lilith sighed frustradedly, but I did not take it personally. Unfortunately, Lilith caught a scent of Jane's afternoon tour, and her eyes distorted from bright red to black.

"And I know that we should be leaving now," I added, warily but forcibly grabbing Lilith's arm to prevent her from consciously losing her control and composition.

* * *

**Lilith's POV**

I knew not where Aro led me- and it didn't matter. As if a second opinion had taken over my mind, my only concern was satisfying the burning in my throat, though I had no idea how to do so.

I went against my second opinion and trusted Aro completely with helping me complete the task. The new part of me wanted independence, but the mortal part still wanted to cling to Aro for support. This needed to be addressed, but it could wait.

"Come, Lilith," Aro said patiently as we exited the city boundaries of Volterra.

I could do nothing else but listen as I was forced to give in to my parched thoughts. Fire burned in my throat, and it took all of my self control I had not to start clawing at my own throat to subside the pain.

* * *

**Aro's POV**

I led Lilith as far away from Volterra that I could dare. She did not question her newfound ability to run at impossible and previously unattainable speeds; the thirst had too much dominance, and it needed to be satisfied immediately before Lilith exposed all of immortal kind and I would be forced to take drastic measures to prevent that.

But my pride would not allow myself to fail.

Lilith was mine now- and only mine.

We came to a stop at Tuscany, but Lilith did not even notice. In fact, she did not speak at all.

I led her away from massive crowds- strategically, of course. But eventually Lilith caught a scent and she slipped out of my grip.

She took off, and I did my best to follow her, determined to make the tiniest scene possible. Unfortunately, my carefulness about avoiding exposure proved to be a mistake, as I lost track of Lilith.

* * *

Several tense minutes later, I traced Lilith's scent to a deserted street, with two lone figures casting shadows underneath the street lights.

One was Lilith. The other shadow belonged to a struggling woman who was pinned against the brick siding of a building with Lilith's hand clenched around her throat.

"Lilith!" I called, using a serious, warning tone.

Lilith did not even turn to look at me. I sped up and stopped beside her, looking at her slowly and doing my best to remain calm.

"Please… don't!" the struggling woman gasped, quietly but loud enough that Lilith and I's extra-sensitive ears picked the words up.

Lilith froze, her vice-like grip on the woman's neck faltering slightly.

"I have kids!" the woman gasped out then.

Lilith stared at her for a moment more, her eyes full of emotion. Lilith was tilting her head, as if contemplating her next move, when she smelled something else in the air. I smelled it, too. _Fresh blood. _

Lilith dropped the woman, her frail body crumpling to the ground, before turning in less than a blink of an eye and sprinting off in another direction.

The woman sobbed as I kneeled before her. As much as Lilith wanted to spare her life, largely due to the coincidence of both being mothers, the woman was a loose end.

I snapped the woman's neck without a second thought, and set after Lilith.

* * *

Lilith had found a man brandishing a gun with another dead man lying on the street in an alley.

As blood seeped through the fresh wound, I immediately realized why Lilith had gone after the scent: it smelled very alluring. No doubt the men's blood was induced with some sort of drug, increasing the appeal and blood lust.

Lilith had already killed the man brandishing the gun, and was drinking from a fresh bite in his neck. I did not need to explain anything to her- hunting was based solely on instinct. Not wanting good 'food' to go to waste, I drank from the already dead man who laid upon the ground, draining whatever blood was left.

* * *

We returned to Volterra in silence.

Lilith said nothing, and I did not expect her to. Her thirst had temporarily fled, and her human emotions were fighting for dominance once more as she was filled with regret.

We entered the castle quickly, but I held a hand out to stop her in the lobby before she could enter the hallway.

She looked at me, and for a split second, I thought I saw sadness in her eyes.

"It wasn't your fault," I told her gently, knowing she'd understand. "You had to do what you had to do. This is what you chose, this immortal life, with all of its benefits and drawbacks. You knew this was going to happen- you have to feed. He was a murderer, Lilith."

Lilith nodded slowly. "I've known all this time… but it does not make this any easier. Knowing beforehand does not prepare you for the guilt."

Perhaps, many centuries ago, I felt guilt. Unfortunately, that was one of the human traits that rarely appeared in my persona any more.

I wrapped my arms around her comfortingly. "I never said it would. But it does get easier."

"How?"

"With time." I released her. "Would you like to see our son?" When hesitated, I assured her, "Lilith, he is our son. You are his mother. You will not hurt him. I will be there… and I always will from now on."

* * *

_**Several Weeks Earlier…**_

_**Unknown POV**_

"_So Aro is planning to obtain these hybrid children for himself?" the blonde haired man asked the two visitors, as his family watched the scene unfold in a tense silence._

"_Yes, his plan unravels as we speak," the woman visitor answered, her heavy accent masking her words a bit. But the blonde man was already accustomed to the woman's accent, because he had met her on several occasions prior._

_The blonde man eyed the male visitor uneasily. "I suppose Aro warmed up to you easily."_

_The male visitor nodded with a smirk. "Oh yes, my prison cell was quite nice. I enjoyed my stay."_

_The woman interrupted, "Aro let us both go. Now I suggest you heed my advice and take advantage of our presence. Be smart: take advantage of Aro's single moment of mercy, Carlisle, and you will be able to protect your family."_

_The man looked at his family, clearly torn._

* * *

**Lilith's POV**

I smiled as I held my sleeping son in my arms, lost so much in my joy that the world could have ended, and I would not have noticed.

Coda mirrored Didyme's hopeful prediction, much to my joy.

Coda stirred, eventually opening his eyes. As he took in my appearance, he smiled, and I reflected the same one back. I sensed that he had missed me, and I thought to myself that I had missed him too.

… When I realized that it was not my imagination, and that Coda's own thoughts were influencing my own, I let out a light laugh. I looked up at Aro, in surprise.

Aro smiled like the proud father he was. "You did very well, Lilith."

"Does he satisfy you?" I asked, despite the situation, feeling slightly uncertain about Aro's reply.

To my happy shock, Aro smiled wider, pulling me close to him as he looked down at Coda, who had started to fall back to sleep. "More than you will ever know, _amore mio._"

I wasn't worried about any opposing threats or predators at that moment, because I was content with focusing on my own little imperfect, unconventional family.

* * *

**Please let me know your thoughts! :)**


	20. New Composition

**Thanks so much for your patience and reviews! :)**

**I am sad to announce that I have decided that this is the last chapter of The Siren's Song (queue sad face!). I just feel as if this is a good point to end this portion of the story. Now, you're all probably thinking, 'WAIT, Aro hasn't even confronted the Cullens yet, and **_**who **_**has been informing others about Aro's plans for the Cullens?'**

**If you were asking these questions, do not worry. :) I will have an author's note at the end that addresses this.**

**THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO REVIEWED, FAVORITED, and FOLLOWED THIS STORY. When I started this several months ago, I honestly did not expect this much feedback! This is the first story I've managed to complete and update on a (mostly) regular basis, and it's all thanks to you lovely people who provided me with feedback! :)**

**I hope you all enjoyed this story as much as I enjoyed writing it. Truth be told, when I started this story, I had a beginning and an end decided. The whole middle part came mostly impromptu! So, if you were surprised during certain chapters how the events played out, most of the time I was too.**

*****If you're wondering about the hybrid's age (their actual age and what age they appear to be) I went by the fact that it averagely takes them 7 years to fully grow and set up a proportion over 18 years, which is the average amount of time for a human to fully grow.*****

**ANYWAYS, I hope you enjoy this last chapter of The Siren's Song. AND DON'T FORGET TO READ MY NOTE AT THE END. :)**

* * *

**Aro's POV**

"Joham."

As I stood looking in at the nomad who was separated from me by only narrow, iron bars, he smiled at me. Though Joham- or any of the vampiric prisoners, for that matter- could easily bend the iron bars or tear them out to escape, I kept skilled guards in the dungeons at all times. Only stupid prisoners would even dream of trying to escape.

"Ah, Aro. Come to see me already, have you?"

I nodded curtly. "I need something from you," I told him, cutting to the chase.

Joham raised an eyebrow. "And what do I get out of it?"

I shot him a shocked look. "Have care how you speak. _You _are in _my _dungeon." When Joham's shoulders fell a bit, I continued, "Anyways, if you manage to help me, I will not kill you… just yet, anyways."

Joham, knowing his situation was stretched to the limit, shrugged. "What is it that you need?"

"Information," I answered simply. "I have a son now- quite similar to your own children, if you understand what I am saying- and I need to know what to expect so that I am not unpleasantly surprised."

Joham stared at me blankly for a moment before he let out a hoarse chuckle. "Well, aren't you in for a ride."

"Please, do elaborate," I urged, slightly annoyed by his vagueness.

"Elaborate, as in, entire, in depth details?"

"That is what I am requesting of you, yes."

Joham sighed, running a hand through his short hair. "If you're serious… First thing, hybrids are omnivores. They'll eat like us, or mortals. Personally, I haven't fed my children anything but blood- the blood makes them a lot stronger."

I thought about Leon, Lotus, and my own son, who had been fed nothing but blood since their birth, and smiled widely. "Go on."

* * *

**Lilith's POV**

… Perhaps the best thing about Coda was that he was not like me, or his father.

Sure, Coda's inheritance of hair and eye color was undeniable, and his smile made me think I was looking at a mirror occasionally, but Coda was still neither of his parents.

He was completely innocent.

He was quite possibly the best thing to come from my captivity (if I could I even call it that), probably second only to Aro. _No, _I thought, my brows furrowing together, _they are equal._

I held him almost every minute of every day after my 're-awakening', only putting him down long enough for me to feed or so Aro or one of his aunts and occasionally uncle (Marcus) could visit with him. I loved him so much, it hurt.

Often, I felt guilty about bringing him into this world. Not to be misunderstood: I loved Coda more than I had anyone else before, possibly even Aro, but I worried about his future. It was mostly like that Aro would bring him up as an heir, and not his son. I wondered if Coda would be trained to become like Aro: harsh, demeaning, and manipulative. Or would Coda simply be manipulated himself by his father? Would he become another pawn, like Aro's guards?

As much as I loved Aro (and even more so with Coda's arrival), I wasn't about to forget who he once was, and I needed to protect Coda from Aro's old self, should he make a reappearance. Though that was highly unlikely, I swore to never prevent Coda from learning the truth.

And I didn't. As I held him each night, waiting for him to fall asleep in my arms after Aro bade him a goodnight in his own awkward new-father way and returned to his duties, I told him stories of my silly human adventures as a child. Though I knew Coda was too young to comprehend what I was saying, I knew he knew my intentions were good, because he let me know with one aspect of his very unique 'gift'.

I promised myself that when Coda was fully grown, I would tell him my entire story. I hoped he wouldn't hate his father for what he had done, but rather learn from it. If Coda ever, ever tried to do what Aro did to me to a poor human girl, I would not hesitate to leave Volterra for good, without him. But I hoped I would never have to do such an awful thing to my son.

I often found myself wondering how long Coda would remain small enough to be held in my arms, and how fast he would grow. Both Huilen and Aro had informed me multiple times that Coda would most likely be fully grown after 7 years. It would defiantly take me a while to become used to, but I would be grateful for whatever time I had, because I was grateful that I had Coda.

Even though he was only two weeks old, Coda looked as if he was already two months, if not more.

He ate (or drank, rather) like a two month old as well. He preferred blood, and would cry determinedly whenever I tried to sneak-feed him human food (Aro did not know about my attempts to vary our child's food regimen). Of course, if Coda wanted blood, as odd as it was for previously-human Lilith to accept, I relented.

* * *

Nahuel and Huilen left when Coda was three weeks old. I knew not where they went, as they left when I was busy putting Coda down for the night. Though I did not properly say goodbye to Huilen and thank her, some part of me reminded myself that I would probably see her again.

* * *

Any foolish worries of the rest of the Volturi not accepting Coda as Aro's son were unceremoniously thrown out of a figurative window.

Leon, Lotus, and Coda were formally presented to the Volturi a week after Huilen and Nahuel's departure. Now that the rest of the guard knew exactly what had occurred, most of them walked around more confident in their Masters abilities to rise up to the challenge of their foes, the Cullens, as Aro put it.

* * *

As Coda grew, Aro studied his developing powers more vigorously.

"He is truly unique," Aro stated fondly one evening, staring down at Coda who laid sleeping in his crib that had been moved from his own room across the hall and into Aro and I's own quarters. "The gifts he has… I've never seen anything unlike them. I cannot even name them properly yet." He chuckled, and pressed a loving kiss to my temple. "I suppose I should have expected him to have unique powers- look at his mother, the siren."

I smiled back at Aro, and playfully rolled my eyes. "Then you can be the one to blame when you are unprepared to deal with him if he reads your… _inappropriate _thoughts or decides to harass members of the guard by putting his thoughts in their heads."

Aro laughed, wrapping his arms around me. "I will take the blame if that happens, _amore mio. _But I will not hesitate to encourage to experiment with his gifts. That is the only way he will develop control over them."

"I don't know," I said hesitantly, looking down at Coda. "He seems to have a pretty good hold on them already."

"Well he is _my _son," Aro said proudly, smiling widely. "He inherited my intelligence."

"Let's hope he doesn't inherit your pride as well," I joked.

Aro buried his face in my hair. "You will pay for that later."

I smirked. "I cannot wait, my lovely husband."

* * *

After a month or so, I convinced Aro to let me write to the Robersons', Marietta, and my friends back in the United States and inform them that I was alive, safe, and happily married with a son. I assured them that eventually, though it may take years, I would see them again and explain, but for now they had to simply accept what information I gave them. With Aro's approval, the letters were sent.

* * *

Though they showed it later than their 'cousin', it soon became apparent that Leon and Lotus had gifts of their own.

Caius was delighted- actually, that is an understatement. I supposed that it was because he had no powers of his own, and he was proud of his children.

Leon was what Aro diagnosed as omni-linguistic. Though this could be achieved by anyone with time, Leon was born with an advantage- it came naturally. It was discovered when the twins appeared to be a little over a two years old- when in reality, they were still under a year. They were quite intelligent for their age. Caius and Athenodora were discussing plans for their first birthday, even though it was still a few months away at the time. They were speaking in Italian, so the twins would not overhear them and as a result be unsurprised. But when Caius mentioned something about a party, Leon confidently inquired in perfect (for a child) Italian, "Possono tutti i miei amici sul guard venire anche tu?" (Can all of my friends on the guard come, too?)

Lotus made her gift known to us almost as abruptly as her brother. One evening, I volunteered to watch Leon and Lotus for Caius and Athenodora. Like human children, Leon, Lotus, and Coda grew thirsty, and I went to obtain some blood for them. I sat them down in the recreational room where my wedding reception had been held while I obtained some blood from the kitchen, where it was almost always stored. I returned to them with three glasses full of the dark liquid in my hands only to see that Coda and Leon had engaged in a game of tag. Naturally, I worried about my son and nephew's safety, because the room contained a lot of heavy statues and other pointy objects that made me nervous when they ran too close to them. I set the glasses down and ordered them to carefully sit back down at the table. Lotus had gotten up from her seat as well, and being the only girl, settled for watching her brother and cousin run about wildly. After I set the glasses down, she tried to reach for one, but was a tad bit too short to actually wrap a hand around the glass. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched a glass slide from the middle of the table unguided with ease to the edge and into Lotus' awaiting hand. Needless to say, I had a fun time explaining to Athenodora and Caius about how their daughter had exhibited telekinesis while they were away.

* * *

Coda grew to adapt a cheerful personality, much like his aunt Didyme. But like his father, Coda was able to change immediately to seriousness whenever the situation called for it. Also, as Aro predicated, Coda was very intelligent- above what was to be expected. Though still young, Coda was often able to participate in intellectual conversations with his father about topics that even had me hesitantly thinking and second-guessing my knowledge. But as for me, I was able to proudly say that Coda inherited my determination, and it showed with whatever training Aro subjected him to.

* * *

Coda was one and a half years old (though he looked and acted about four), and the twins were about the same age, when the nightmares started.

I recall having a near panic attack when I found Coda tossing and turning savagely in his sleep one night. When he awoke, he started bawling about a morbid dream he had had, and Aro confirmed this shortly after. At first, I relaxed; it seemed perfectly normal for a child to experience nightmares. But when they became a weekly event and even Leon and Lotus began to have them as well, I began to grow suspicious of a third party's activity.

But there was little I could do- no one that Aro could clearly pinpoint had the ability to influence one's dreams. I could only comfort my son whenever they occurred.

* * *

"Go to sleep now," I cooed gently one evening, tucking Coda in extra tightly by piling a third blanket on top of him. I sat beside him on his bed in his room, which was across the hall from Aro and I's own quarters.

"But Madre, I can't breathe!" Coda protested with a giggle, smiling widely at me from beneath the blankets and presenting a rather amusing scene.

He was beginning to take after his father with his looks. His dark raven hair grew rapidly, and it currently was beginning to fall in front of his green eyes. Fortunately, his pleasant personality made him a very enjoyable person to be around, and I wasn't the only one aware of this- many members of the guard genuinely liked Coda's intelligent and positive personality and often told Aro how happy they were to call them their Master's son and future heir.

"Oh, you can't?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "Well, how about now?" I asked, as I tickled his sides.

Coda erupted into fits of laughter. Eventually, I withdrew my hands and he sighed contently.

"Good night, Coda," I whispered to him as he calmed down. I stood to leave.

"Madre?" Coda called quietly.

Aro, convinced that being able to speak multiple languages was a must for one to be a good leader, encouraged Coda to learn both English and Italian. As a result, Coda often spoke English, because I could not understand Italian, but he referred to Aro and me as the Italian versions of 'Mother' and 'Father': '_Madre_' and '_Padre_'.

I stopped in the doorway and turned to look back at him. "Yes?" I asked patiently.

"Why do people want to hurt you and Padre? And Uncle Marcus and Uncle Caius? And all my friends on the Guard?" he asked innocently.

Aro had already begun to inform Coda about the Volturi, what they stood for, and what they had to do to ensure peace in the vampiric world. Of course, Coda had only received a censored version of the full story, and would learn the rest of it as he grew older.

With a sigh, I walked back over to his bed, and sat down next to him once more. "It's a long story. But trust me; it has nothing to do with you. These people who don't like your Padre and the rest of us had conflicts with us since before you were even born."

"I don't want anything bad to happen to you. Or Padre. Or anyone," he confessed in a small voice.

I half-smiled, and kissed him on the forehead. "And nothing will, Coda. Your Padre and I will not let anything happen to you."

"But I'm not worried about myself, I'm worried about everyone else!" Coda exclaimed.

"Well, in the mean time, none of us are in trouble," I assured him truthfully. "But there may come a day when we are in trouble. But by then, you'll be all grown up and you can protect us. How does that sound?"

Coda smiled widely, making me smile as well. "I like that."

I chuckled. "Just don't grow up too fast on me, okay?" I told him, ruffling his hair.

"I'll try not to," he promised with a snicker as he flattened his hair. "But Madre?"

"Yes?"

"What if I get the nightmares again?" he asked quietly, staring at me with wide eyes.

"Just come and find Padre or I, okay?" I told him, running a soothing hand down his arm.

"Okay," he answered bravely.

I smiled and kissed him on the forehead once more. "Goodnight, Coda." I stood up and blew out the last candle that had been illuminating the room on my way out.

I closed the door behind me and sighed, with a slight shake of my head.

I walked towards the throne room, in no particular rush to inform Aro that his son's nightmares continued. He had been under too much stress lately, and I didn't want to bother him anymore.

I entered quietly, with a quick knock on the open door.

"Come in," a distracted voice called.

I walked into the spacious room and found it empty, with the exception of Aro reading a large book over by the table on the right side of the room.

He looked up, and smiled. "_Amore mio_," he all but purred.

I could do nothing but smile in return. I walked over to him and his arms embraced me, before planting a soft but meaningful kiss on my lips.

Aro pulled back, and a moment later frowned. "I see our son is still having issues," he stated, using his gift to read my mind. After all this time, I had grown used to it. I knew Aro meant no harm by it, and Aro knew that there were times and situations where his mind-reading would be unwelcomed, and respected it.

I nodded sadly. "I'm not sure what to do. I can only watch as terror consumes him, and I hate it."

Aro sighed. "There isn't much more that could be done. We do not know who is doing this to him, and we might not learn who it is for a while." Aro embraced me again. "If I had a heart, it would be warmed by the fact that he cares so much for our Family."

I smiled. "It's pretty cute, isn't it?"

Aro hummed in agreement. "It seems little now, but it is the first step towards devoted loyalty."

"Good," I said. "I would really prefer that Chelsea would not use her gift on my son." To Aro's joy, I had learned all of the guards names, their gifts (if any), and actually developed relationships with most of them, and could easily consider at least a quarter of them to be my genuine friends.

"The chances of that are slim to none," Aro assured me, drawing his arms away. "He is our son, _amore mio_. He loves us already."

I nodded in agreement. "What are you doing?" I asked, looking at the books lying upon the table.

"Looking for this entry," Aro said, showing me some entry information on a separate notepad that was lying beside an open book.

"Would you like some help?" I offered, looking in the book setting on the table's surface.

"If you wouldn't mind," Aro replied a sigh. "After all, the sooner I get this done, the sooner we can spend some time together."

I caught his sly smile and shot him one back. "Aro!"

"What?"

I rolled my eyes.

"Would you seriously criticize me for wanting to spend time with my beautiful wife?" Aro asked with a pouting face as he drew me closer to him.

"No," I whispered in defeat.

Aro kissed me passionately, and I eagerly responded.

We continued for several moments until a cough made us draw away. We looked towards the entrance to see Caius and Athenodora entering the room.

"Are we interrupting something?" Caius asked. Athenodora stifled a giggle. If I could still turn red in the face, I would have.

"Not at all, brother," Aro replied, but his eyes did not leave my own. Aro took another book off the table and walked away and over to his throne, sitting down and searching through its contents. Meanwhile, I started looking over the one he had had open.

Caius went to sit beside Aro. Athenodora walked up to my side and helped in the search.

* * *

15 minutes of searching had proved worthless.

Finally I heard a watery call from the doorway, "Mama?"

I sighed. Coda only called me that when he was scared.

I turned to face my son, and found him standing in the doorway holding Marcus' hand.

"I believe this is yours," Marcus told me, in an attempt to lighten the mood.

Coda dropped Marcus' hand and ran over to me and threw his arms around my neck after I squatted down to his level. As he cried silently I did my best to soothe him. When he calmed down enough to speak, I looked at him expectantly.

Coda shook his head, silently stating that he wasn't willing to share what he had seen in his dream.

Aro took notice of us. He closed the book he had been reading, drawing Coda's attention to him. "Perhaps you'd be willing to share with me, figlio mio?" Aro asked his son.

Coda nodded and left my arms to run over to Aro's instead.

Aro pulled Coda into his lap and took Coda's tiny hands into his own. I watched as my husband relived our son's nightmare. When he finished, he pursed his lips. "I see," he muttered. Aro then turned to look at me. "Don't worry, amore mio, I'll take care of this."

I watched slightly helplessly as Aro left the room carrying the still distraught Coda.

Marcus stepped aside to allow them to leave and then went to sit on his throne.

"How are the twins?" I asked Athenodora.

"Not much better," she replied distractedly, while Caius looked off, as if lost in thoughts concerning the situation.

I sighed. _I just don't understand any of this at this point_. I turned and left the room, following the two important men in my life.

* * *

I approached Coda's room quietly when I heard voices. I stood outside the doorway so that I could see inside the room, but those inside could not so easily see me.

Coda was tucked into bed once more, and Aro was sitting next to him, like I had been before.

"So you're not mad at me?" Coda asked softly.

Aro shook his head. "No, _figlio mio_." (my son). Aro ran his fingers through Coda's raven hair for a moment. "I know right now you probably think otherwise," Aro started, "But I would never let anybody hurt your Madre."

My 'heart' warmed.

"Never?" Coda questioned.

"Never ever," Aro confirmed. "As long as I am around, she will be safe, I promise. Just like you are safe whenever you are with your Madre and I. We both love you more than you may ever know, and we wouldn't let anyone hurt you."

Coda seemed unconvinced at first, but finally relented.

I chose that moment to enter.

"Madre," Coda greeted me, smiling once more. I walked over to stand beside Aro.

Aro smiled up at me- it was obvious he knew that I'd overheard the conversation.

_*I don't know if the nightmares will return*_… Coda told us telepathically. Coda had gotten quite a hold on his gifts, and Aro and I couldn't have been prouder.

"Well, perhaps there is a way we can solve that…" Aro suggested, looking at me. Coda sat up and looked at me with a hopeful look in his eyes.

I smiled, opened my arms, and Coda quickly scrambled into them. He pressed his face into my neck and clung to me tightly. I ran a soothing hand over his back as Aro stood up and we left the room.

* * *

Aro went to inform Marcus and Caius of his whereabouts if they needed him. During this, I set Coda down on Aro and I's bed gently.

When Aro returned, he closed the door and blew out all the candles in the room but one, which left an eerie glow. Aro and I could see it, thanks to our enhanced vision, but Coda probably could not.

I laid down on the bed next to Coda, and Aro followed suit on the other side. Coda immediately tousled and turned to get comfy between the both of us.

"Go to sleep now, Coda," I whispered to him quietly once he had settled.

Coda yawned.

I hummed a random melody to relax him, only using a bit of my gift's influence. Over the year, I had come a long way to controlling my gift as well. I was able to control and filter _who _would be subjected to my singing's manipulative advances, be it a single person or an entire group. Currently, Aro was helping me work on actually using my gifts manipulative nature to influence the listener to do certain things, like how I had made Caius dance with Athenodora what seemed like a long time ago.

Five minutes later, Coda was fast asleep.

I looked at Aro who reached over Coda's head to hold onto my hand. I smiled.

_What did he dream about this time? _I thought to him.

"It appears that he is terrified of loosing you," Aro explained, speaking quietly. "He had a rather… vivid dream of you getting killed."

I frowned. To make myself feel better, I gave Coda a kiss on top of his head. "One day, these nightmares will stop, and my son can live without worries."

Aro nodded in agreement. "One day, I will find who is responsible for terrorizing my son, and put an end to this," he emphasized. Aro then sighed, grazing his thumb over my engagement ring briefly. "One day, all that I have planned for us will come to light, after we defeat all of those who intend to bring us down," he promised devoutly, referring to the Cullens. "One day, my leadership will be tested, and should I fail…" he trailed off, and I bit my lip, dreading the thought of Aro ever… _dying,_ "… If I fail, I will leave everything I have to you and our son, so that you can continue my legacy."

I felt venom tears gathering in my eyes, but I quickly blinked them away. "Please, Aro… do not speak like this. You are _not _going to die," I told him firmly. "You aren't going to die and leave me here, alone, in this foreign world that you introduced me to." I looked down at Coda briefly, before meeting Aro's eyes once more. "You are _not _going to leave your son without a father."

Aro stared at me intently for several minutes. Then, a soft smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he stated softly, "_Amore mio, _this is why I love you as much as I do- you are innocent, and you will always be there to remind me of what I gave up to become who I am. You know, but do not recognize how much of a horrid monster I really am. I've done immoral things for centuries to benefit myself and my own ideas, and I justified it all because of a dream that I had for the immortal race. I've convinced myself that I am a good leader because of this, and a good leader is aware of their possible untimely demise and prepares for it accordingly."

I looked at Aro blankly for several moments. "I choose not to look directly upon your flaws, as you did not directly look upon mine when we first met. If you had, I would not be here with you, and with our son. I would have missed all of the benefits of this life you have given me."

Aro smirked. "All of this is not only because you have overlooked my flaws, _amore mio. _I would not have allowed you to experience all these things with me if I did not _want _you to, and I wanted you to because I love you more than I have anyone else in my entire existence, and because you are my destined mate. You have made me happier than I ever thought I would be, and I am so blessed to call you the mother of my child. I think about these upcoming years constantly, and I cannot wait to see where they may lead us."

In the looming darkness, a venom tear fell down my face, and I was ever grateful that Aro did not notice. "… Aro?"

"Yes, Lilith?" he questioned patiently.

"I forgive you for taking me," I stated simply, knowing he would understand the hidden complexity within my words.

I could see Aro staring at me. "I do not deserve your forgiveness, Lilith."

"I know," I acknowledged, "but I wouldn't have given it to you if I didn't _want _to."

Aro placed a cool hand on the side of my face, and drew my closer to him. He kissed me tenderly with the most love he could possibly muster.

In my mind, I replayed all the scenes that drew me to that moment in time, and I was grateful to experience every single one of them.

This life with Aro, and now Coda, may not have been the life I had planned for myself when I moved back to Italy to live with my sister, but now that I have experienced it all, I wouldn't change a thing.

When a composer writes, they may not always know where the composition will take them, because often times the song has a mind of its own. When the song is finished, and left to others to perform, you cannot simply change what has been written without changing its meaning and original intention, even if the composer did not always know it themselves.

Aro once called me a siren. If my life since knowing him has been my 'song', then I, the unintentional composer, am proud to call it my composition. Now that it has been completed, I look forward to the next part of my life, and cannot wait to experience the victories and falls of this immortal life with Aro. I look forward to my next composition.

_The Siren's Song has ended. The Siren's Serenade has begun._

* * *

**Wow… May or may not have teared up at the end, no judging! **

**Please, do not hesitate to leave your thoughts and comments, they are not ignored and I really enjoy and appreciate reading them.**

**I will probably be taking a week or two off to refresh my muse.**

******** SEQUEL: YES, or NO? I would really love to write one, and I have the idea all planned out, but if I will only write one if I know that there will be people who will read it. Please, tell me if you would like me to write it, and I will willingly oblige.**

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